LAS VEGAS – Going into his fourth WBO welterweight title defense on Saturday, Terrence Crawford was supposed to be a faster, better boxer than Kale Brook. It was clearly also a more powerful puncture.
Crawford (-0 37–0, ૨ K KO) scored a highlight-reel knockout at Brook (39-3, 27 KOs) at the 1:14 mark of the fourth round inside the MGM Grand. The first three rounds of the Crawford fight were remarkably patient, changing attitudes and realizing Brooke. When he chose to move on, the knockout came in a quick and destructive fashion, as Crawford knocked Brooke off the rope with his short, leaded right hand.
Referee Tony Weeks provided Brooke with a chance to continue, but Crawford immediately bounced back and hung him on the rope with the right hook, forcing Weeks to stop the fight.
“Cal is a tremendous talent. He came, and he tried to take my title,” Crawford said. “He was in shape. He made weights. There were no excuses to sit on the table. He landed with three wins. He lost to a better man.”
The result was exactly what Crawford needed to mark his only 2020 appearance. The deal with Bock Arum, the Pacquiao, struck almost earlier this year, before plans to disrupt the COVID-19 epidemic plan.
“Terrence Crawford has once again shown why he is the best welterweight in the world,” Arm said. “It was a dominant performance on Cal Brook’s very good fighter. Terrence includes all the great welterweights promoted there.”
Brooke, 34, had a significant underdog in Saturday’s employment. However, he changed the storyline a bit on Friday with his impressive physique. Brooke hadn’t fought at the 147-pound limit since 2017, but he did weigh in with no issues and was expected to gain a significant size in the Fight Night.
Brooke initially had some success, especially throwing on the body, but part of it was due to Crawford’s patience. Compared to 26 of 109 for Brooke, Crawford landed 36 of the 111 punches thrown, according to CompubXx.
Brooke said, ‘No one has ever done this to me in my career.
Fighting against England’s Sheffield, Brooke has knocked out each of his three professional losses. He suffered knockout losses to Gennady Golovkin and Spence Jr. in 2016 and 2017, although both conflicts were ruled out due to broken orbital bones. Crawford’s stunning fourth-round knockout was in no way related to injury.
Crawford of Omaha, Nebraska, will focus on the big fights in 2021. The Pacquiao have not fought since July 2019 and nothing is determined, while Spence Jr. is set to fight Danny Garcia on December 5.
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