Terence Crawford signs contract for July 23 fight with Viktor Postol

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I actually thought I was a purist until last night. Just boring old-man-with-good-legs type tactics. Running, holding, spoiling. All good for the win and gives him a seasoned vet look but I can't appreciate that style unless it's coming from someone who is actually old as fuck.

[J_Undisputed]

I actually thought I was a purist until last night. Just boring old-man-with-good-legs type tactics. Running, holding, spoiling. All good for the win and gives him a seasoned vet look but I can't appreciate that style unless it's coming from someone who is actually old as fuck.

I thought he fought well. I wont go as far as to say postol was exposed at all but I think it puts the matthysse win in perspective. I (like i think most did) respected the skill crawford was displaying...and outside the ring, I even loved the slice of life piece HBO did on him. At the same time, watching him seek and destroy past fighters... I felt like he could have did more towards putting Postol down. It was almost like Postol never saw those counters and was there for them every time with the door left open. Perhaps its just the timing of things that sticks in my craw....

-Man walks through pretty decent fighters by boxing/punching.
-Proclaims hes going to be the next superstar
-Signs up his first PPV
-Looks like the next instructor at Arthur Murray dance studio against an opponent who was clearly out matched. Clowns in the last round and then at the final bell strikes a victorious, "I have arrived" pose for 5 seconds as his opponent has to walk by him to congratulate his team.

Do I think Crawford could have beat postol without that lateral movement and parrying/breaststroking past Postol. Sure. I even predicted he would take some unnecessary shots, thinking he would sit down on his punches like he had done with past opponents. It's good that he didn't, but if you have numerous chances to close the show, you do it. It feels like arum pulled him aside before the show and said the only way you'll be the next mayweather is by imitating him exactly in an effort to maximize profits. Part of the appeal of crawford to many before is that he wasn't mayweather. He knocked guys out. He threw combinations, he walked people down and he didn't take much damage really while finding a way to hurt his opponents. I hope this is just one fight and the potshot counters and clowning aren't a trend. Not interested in another endorsement whore, whos mouth does more fighting than his fists, whos shoes get more wear than his gloves and who opponents stand in the middle of the ring, pause with their hands down and bewildered waiting, for the fight to start.

[powerpuncher]

I don't think Crawford was trying to let him last. Postol is a tough fighter and is dangerous. I enjoyed the fight. I had no problem with it whatsoever. Crawford took risks but wasn't stupid. I can't blame him for not going for the knockout at the end. He didn't want to get caught being stupid and losing.

I swear that a lot of you people don't even like boxing.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I don't think Crawford was trying to let him last. Postol is a tough fighter and is dangerous. I enjoyed the fight. I had no problem with it whatsoever. Crawford took risks but wasn't stupid. I can't blame him for not going for the knockout at the end. He didn't want to get caught being stupid and losing.

I swear that a lot of you people don't even like boxing.

Yeah I think it's going that way for me. Skipping around a ring shouldn't be congratulated. It should be penalised.

[powerpuncher]

I don't think Crawford was trying to let him last. Postol is a tough fighter and is dangerous. I enjoyed the fight. I had no problem with it whatsoever. Crawford took risks but wasn't stupid. I can't blame him for not going for the knockout at the end. He didn't want to get caught being stupid and losing.

I swear that a lot of you people don't even like boxing.

Yeah I think it's going that way for me. Skipping around a ring shouldn't be congratulated. It should be penalised.

Boxing has always been the same. Crawford fought brilliant but you are acting like he did something wrong.

[SlimTrae]

Crawford may have avoid getting hammered last, night, but he's taking a beating here!

[Spicoli]

I do think much of the lukewarm reception is the constant references by Crawford or Scarum' Arum to a Mayweather and some imaginary massive void that has to be filled now. Crawford said it promotion and after "wants to be next major superstar" blah blah and it is a change for a guy who came into the spotlight extremely humble and low key. I don't care for a guy who gets ahead of himself and forgets how he got there but also cannot deny owning ring real estate and doing exactly what he wants to at every turn. But for me that is where any comparison ends and it needs to. I didn't see some glory bwoy fighting for self preservation, timing out rounds and refusing an exchange, nor the constant shat talking. Crawford just dominated -the- number 1 rated guy in division and fellow champion and did it with full vision on propelling him into bigger events. When Postol opened up he asserted and shut it down and exchanged more often than not. It's odd as I didn't like the very beginning or the tail end but was very impressed with the in between. He gauged Postol and from there literally boxed him into tight unimaginative confines and kept him on a leash. Lateral movement, picking power shots at will and just using him as a canvas to paint his biggest win to date. Him taking chances began by fighting the best in the division and the chip on his shoulder remains. Sure sure I love knock outs as much as the next guy. I also want a guy to maximize advantages and not phone it in or rest on a lead. But I didn't see a guy coasting. Crawford has earned his options and has the skillset to box your ears off or as stated by many the windows to hurt and finish guys. We watched a crusher in Kovalev box late and continually hurt a guy few gave a chance and extend 12 and get a meh response. Now we watched a guy hurt and dominate a guy in a fight that was a hard pick and far superior match up and receive the same. Honestly in either case I would be less impressed had they flattened them in one or two rounds than totally shutting them down and dominating. Crawford is no runner.

[Sleepwalker]

Who came up with this unwritten rule that the only way to "close the show" is by knocking his opponent out at all costs, even if it means abandoning strategy?

"Postol was there for the taking". Umm, no he wasn't. Just because a KO opportunity was there at one point of a fight doesn't automatically mean it's going be there for the remainder of the fight.

Glad Crawford didn't foolishly attempt to do anything uncharacteristic just to appease meathead fans.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I don't think Crawford was trying to let him last. Postol is a tough fighter and is dangerous. I enjoyed the fight. I had no problem with it whatsoever. Crawford took risks but wasn't stupid. I can't blame him for not going for the knockout at the end. He didn't want to get caught being stupid and losing.

I swear that a lot of you people don't even like boxing.

Yeah I think it's going that way for me. Skipping around a ring shouldn't be congratulated. It should be penalised.

Boxing has always been the same. Crawford fought brilliant but you are acting like he did something wrong.

No I'm not. I'm acting like I'm bored of boxing. It's not Crawford's fault. He did what he had to. But I can't congratulate the guy for fighting like he was up against a man who was 10 years younger and three divisions above him. Avoiding confrontation by skipping around (and around) the ring. It's just not to my taste at all.Not anymore anyway. Again, it's not anyone's fault. I'm just bored of it.

[powerpuncher]

I don't think Crawford was trying to let him last. Postol is a tough fighter and is dangerous. I enjoyed the fight. I had no problem with it whatsoever. Crawford took risks but wasn't stupid. I can't blame him for not going for the knockout at the end. He didn't want to get caught being stupid and losing.

I swear that a lot of you people don't even like boxing.

Yeah I think it's going that way for me. Skipping around a ring shouldn't be congratulated. It should be penalised.

Boxing has always been the same. Crawford fought brilliant but you are acting like he did something wrong.

No I'm not. I'm acting like I'm bored of boxing. It's not Crawford's fault. He did what he had to. But I can't congratulate the guy for fighting like he was up against a man who was 10 years younger and three divisions above him. Avoiding confrontation by skipping around (and around) the ring. It's just not to my taste at all.Not anymore anyway. Again, it's not anyone's fault. I'm just bored of it.

Fair enough