Whats everyone's thoughts on Crawford turning down the Porter fight?

Honestly if he doesn't want to have a big asterisk next to it (assuming that he actually wins), Crawford would be wise to let Spence return in the summer and show that he still looks capable in a tuneup. Otherwise there will always be questions about whether he could have taken him pre-crash.

In the meantime, no reason to not fight Porter.

 

Nothing to gain by beating a fighter who just lost

 

Unless he fights Spence next (this will not happen), it's a very bad move. Shawn Porter has carved out a niche at WW as the man right below whoever the actual man is at the time. Every person that has been considered the top guy at WW or wanted to be considered over the past probably 5 years has had to get through Porter (except Pac).

Brook, Thurman, Spence: all have laid claim to being "the" guy at WW. All have fought Porter. All had a hell of a hard time with Porter but after the fights, their wins strengthened their claims. Why wouldn't Bud want the same?

Extremely bad move

 

I don't get that. He actually talked of fighting Porter and the Porter's were open to it, then Crawford turns around and says no, after it is something that he talked up.

Porter would tell us where Crawford really is. A shame that Crawford abruptly changed his mind.

 

Even if his excuse is to fight Spence, it's not good enough. Spence has been in a car crash and we don't know when he'll be back to 100%, if he even gets back to 100%. We don't know when Spence will fight again and Spence doesn't know either. It'll take at least half a year before Spence can fight at the top level again.

That's why Crawford can't wait around. He's not getting any younger and his last couple fights left more doubt than confidence among boxing fans. If there is a time for Crawford to make a statement, it's now and it's with Porter.

 

No one even knows how Spence will be in his return. I seriously doubt he fights a top level in his return bout, so Crawford has PLENTY of time to fight Porter in the interim.

A very interesting matchup indeed. Hope Crawford changes his mind otherwise this is nothing more than a quack quack.

 

Porter and Crawford are close friends and Crawford said he wasn't interested in fighting him because of the friendship. If he and Porter can come to an agreement, without the promotor, he says they can fight. Seems like Porter wants it but Crawford hasn't said yes , using the friendship excuse.

 

Porter would beat him thats why he turned it down

 

Disappointing.
He knows it's a risky fight and avoiding him to wait to fight a post-accident Spence just screams ducking.
I do give him credit that he has been calling Spence out for a while but still, if not Porter and Spence (yet), who? Pacquiao? Garcia (either)?

 

Yeah that's because Crawford doesn't fight men who might have a chance to beat him.

 

If he ducks porter it better be because he is fighting Spence pac or Thurman instead

 

Duck.

In fact I've classified him as a duck ever since he resigned with Arum instead of going PBC where all the big names are in WW.

You can say fighters with different promoters can make it happen if they really wanted it, yes I agree but if you really wanted to fight somebody. Do you remove barriers or create them?

 

Would the same people criticizing Crawford here also criticize Mayweather for ducking Margarito?

 

Very disappointing, my patience is wearing thin with Crawford tbh.