Avila Perspective, Chap 113: Terence Crawford and the British Jinx

Underestimating British fighters has led to the tumble of several budding American superstars over the decades.

Prizefighters from the United Kingdom have a knack for tripping up American fighters considered to be pound for pound greats.

Can WBO welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) avoid the British jinx when he fights Kell Brook (39-2, 27 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 14, at the MGM Grand Bubble in Las Vegas, Nevada? ESPN will televise the showdown.

“Nobody has done that in history from Britain,” said Brook mistakenly about beating a fighter considered the pound for pound best during a Zoom press conference.

It’s been done before.

Back in 1951, a pretty good American fighter named Sugar Ray Robinson crossed the Atlantic Ocean to take in the European scene and grab a few British pounds by tap dancing over an English middleweight cat named Randy Turpin.

After 15 confusing rounds Robinson was unable to crack Turpin’s strange defensive and offensive measures and his middleweight title was lost in the London fog along with the aura of invincibility that comes with being tabbed as boxing’s best pound for pound fighter. Robinson was the first to be tabbed with that moniker and the first to lose it.

And if that wasn’t enough, in 1986, another American prizefighter considered flawless and invincible named Donald “The Cobra” Curry met British welterweight Lloyd Honeyghan and was knocked out. America was stunned. Curry was never the same.

America has long believed its fighters are among the best in the world in a prize ring and have history to prove it. But every once in a while, a British bloke considered to be so-so comes along and sticks a metal rod in the machinery and fouls up everything.

Brook, 34, has only tasted defeat twice but in those two losses he was stopped by the bludgeoning fists of merciless middleweight Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, and then by welterweight world titlist Errol Spence Jr. before that fighter was put out of action by a car accident.

Sheffield’s “Special K” has long been considered a dangerous fighter whose main attribute has been his physical strength. It’s what allowed him to tussle with Golovkin when they met in September 2016 in Greenwich, England. After five rounds of middleweight battering Brook was forced to concede defeat due to a busted orbital bone.

The British fighter is no stranger to fighting in America. His last visit took place in August 2014 when he fought Shawn Porter at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. He snagged the IBF welterweight world title away from the American prizefighter by majority decision.

“I’ve been here before. I’ve been on this stage. I’ve been in there with pound-for-pound top fighters like Golovkin and Errol Spence. I took the title away from Shawn Porter in America. I know what it takes to be champion,” said Brook.

Those Brits have a knack for beating American fighters.

Crawford, 33, is no ordinary American fighter and considered to be the best pound for pound in the world by many. I consider him number two behind Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but the Nebraska boxer does have incredible fighting prowess.

Whenever Crawford steps into a boxing ring his talent stands out like one of those Fourth of July fireworks bursting in a dark sky. It’s obvious and tantalizing to watch. But talent and skill does not always mean victory.

As a welterweight Crawford has yet to be tested by anyone equal or near equal to his own physical skills and experience.

Brook has that experience and skill.

“He’s smart, he’s been in there with a lot of great fighters, he’s strong. You got to be careful with him because he’s not a stupid fighter by no means. Him making the weight comfortably means he’s still a dangerous fighter,” said Crawford during his interview with Brian Custer on Last Stand Podcast.

Despite repeated taunts and challenges to fellow welterweight titlists such as Spence, Porter, Danny Garcia, Keith Thurman and Manny Pacquiao, his request to meet them in the boxing ring has been largely ignored.

It’s not his fault.

Crawford has been tabbed as the best fighter in the boxing universe by many, but not Brook.

“He’s going to have a rude awakening, I’ll tell you that. He’s going to have a rude awakening Saturday night when he gets in there,” says Brook.

Franco’s Back

The Professor returns to convince those doubting the lessons of an earlier class as WBA super flyweight titlist Joshua Franco (17-1-2, 8 KOs) defends against Australia’s Andrew Moloney (21-1, 14 KOs) on the Top Rank card in Las Vegas on Saturday.

They fought five months ago with Franco out-boxing the slugging Aussie and dropping him before winning a unanimous decision and capturing the world title in Las Vegas.

They’re back at it again in the bubble.

San Antonio’s Franco is accustomed to fighting rematches after clashing with Oscar Negrete three times.

“I feel confident because I’ve been in the ring with Andrew Moloney before. I know what he has. I’m always confident, of course,” said Franco during a Zoom interview.

Moloney believes he’s ready to teach the Professor he’s not a class clown.

“I just believe all around I’m a better boxer than he is. And I know that I didn’t show that in the first fight. But I believe I will show that this Saturday night,” said Moloney.

English Bash

The women take front stage as Undisputed lightweight world champion Katie Taylor spearheads a Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday Nov. 14, at London, England. DAZN and Sky Sports will show the boxing card led by three female world title fights.

Ireland’s Taylor faces Spain’s Miriam Gutierrez in the main event while Terri Harper defends the WBC super featherweight title against Norway’s Katharina Thanderz. The winner probably faces America’s Mikaela Mayer. A third female match pits Rachell Ball fighting Argentina’s Jorgelina Guanini for the vacant WBA bantamweight belt.

All three should be worth watching. If you don’t have a subscription to DAZN or Sky Sports, the fight card can be seen on Sky Sports YouTube channel and on its Facebook page for free. This boxing card will show you how far women’s boxing has progressed. One minor note, all three fights will be at two-minute rounds.

Fights to Watch

Sat. 11 a.m. PT, DAZN, Sky Sports, Katie Taylor (16-0) vs Miriam Gutierrez (13-0). Terri Harper (10-0-1) vs Katharina Thanderz (13-0); Rachel Ball (6-1) vs Jorgelina Guanini (9-1-2).

Sat. 5 p.m. FS1, Amilcar Vidal (11-0) vs Edward Ortiz (11-0-2).

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / TOP RANK

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