LAS VEGAS — Oscar De La Hoya holds Terence Crawford in high regard, an opinion that didn’t change following Crawford’s close decision victory over Israil Madrimov.
“Crawford I love because he’s probably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. His style is fan-friendly. He’s a tremendous boxer. Undefeated,” De La Hoya said on August 7, speaking to reporters briefly after an event announcing a donation of school supplies for Las Vegas-area teachers
Crawford topped Madrimov on August 3 for the WBA’s junior middleweight world title. That gave Crawford a belt in a fourth division, following his time as Ring Magazine champion at lightweight, undisputed champion at junior welterweight and undisputed champion at welterweight.
De La Hoya himself seized belts from 130 to 160 during his Hall of Fame career, including lineal championships at 140, 147 and 154.
“He [Crawford] went up a weight class and he met up with a guy who is really tough, and sometimes you’re not going to look as good as you did in your previous fights fighting smaller guys,” De La Hoya said. “And it’s ok. It’s a learning process. He has to establish himself at 154. He probably fought the toughest guy, not the most dangerous guy but the toughest guy.”
De La Hoya of course has his own junior middleweight on his mind: Vergil Ortiz, who will face Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday, August 10 here in Las Vegas.
“I think that Crawford vs. Vergil Ortiz, next year, first quarter will be a super fight,” De La Hoya said.
As BoxingScene’s Lance Pugmire noted, Crawford vs. Ortiz could be bankrolled by Turki Alalshikh, whose Riyadh Season is playing an increasing role in boxing, and who wanted to make Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez, only to receive a somewhat chilly reception from Canelo while the super middleweight champ is focused on his upcoming pay-per-view main event with Edgar Berlanga.
Ortiz needs to get past Bohachuk first this weekend.
Ortiz is 21-0 (21 KOs). He has had a pair of first-round knockouts this year, stopping Fredrick Lawson controversially and then making short work of faded and undersized Thomas Dulorme in April.
Bohachuk is 24-1 (23 KOs). That loss came via eighth-round TKO against Brandon Adams back in 2021. He has won six straight since, going the distance for the first time in March, when he dominated Brian Mendoza.
Their fight will air on DAZN. The main broadcast begins at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Follow David Greisman on Twitter @FightingWords2. His book, “Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing,” is available on Amazon.
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