Crawford Rockets To Top Of Lightweights With Gamboa Win

With consecutive victories over Ricky Burns and Yuriorkis Gamboa, is America’s Terence Crawford now the top man in the lightweight division?

Crawford, 24-0 (17), fresh off Saturday night’s dismantling of Gamboa in a homecoming clash at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska, burst onto the world stage this past March after six years of toiling on undercards during a long matriculation process.

The spotlight moment came at the Scottish Exhibition Center in Glasgow as the 26 year old Ohama man wrested the WBO title from Ricky Burns with an intriguing display of his stance switching style.

And it was only after turning southpaw after five rounds that Crawford was able to start hitting the target against the lightning-quick Gamboa, who was gunned down in the ninth round.

But what lies ahead for Crawford, who has hinted that he may no longer be able to make the division’s 135 pound limit?

If he does stay at lightweight for one more contest, it would likely be a unification clash with longtime IBF king Miquel Vasquez of Mexico, who is even taller than Crawford at 5’10.

Despite his newly minted championship status, Crawford has fought the better competition at world title level and would have a big advantage in power but could be challenged to keep pace with the volume punching Guadalajara man.

If Crawford does step up to light welter, that talent pool at 140 isn’t all that deep these days and he could walk right into championship bouts with the ruling council of Danny Garcia, Lamont Peterson and Jessie Vargas.

But possibly the most interesting scenario would be a clash with Adrien Broner, on the comeback trail as a light welter after a disastrously short run as WBA welter titlist.

Regardless of which direction Terrance Crawford turns, “Bud” should have a long and promising career ahead.