Crawford Makes It Look Easy In Boxing Lesson Of Benavidez Jr.
Terence Crawford grew a great dislike and animosity for his Mexican-American opponent in the lead-up to their bout that at times led to intense moments.
On Saturday night, he made sure to silence Jose Benavidez Jr. in amazing fashion.
Terence Crawford (34-0, 25 KOs) defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. (27-1, 18 KOs) on Saturday night at the CHI Health Center by 12th-Round knockout to retain his WBO welterweight title belt.
While later than many would’ve expected, the sizable favorite Terence Crawford had the last word in his heated battle with Jose Benavidez Jr. as he made his first title defense at 147 pounds.
Terence Crawford went on to land 186 of his 579 punches (32%), landing 131 of his 302 power punches (43%). Jose Benavidez Jr. would land 92 of his 501 punches (18%), landing 64 of 211 power punches (30%).
In the buildup, the two fighters exchanged trash talk with one another with most of the talk coming from Jose Benavidez Jr., who on Thursday at the final pre-fight press conference said he ‘didn’t see anything special’ about Terence Crawford as a fighter.
The heated buildup would come to a nearly disastrous weigh-in incident when Terence Crawford reacted to being shoved by Jose Benavidez Jr. by throwing a right hand shot at Benavidez Jr., who eluded the strike.
On Saturday night in Terence Crawford’s backyard, the two undefeated fighters settled their differences with one another in the ring.
Terence Crawford came into the fight as the shorter fighter at five-foot-eight with Benavidez standing at six-feet tall, which played a role early on in a slow start for the Omaha, Nebraska native.
Crawford’s size disadvantage coupled with a confident in-ring approach by Jose Benavidez Jr. allowed the 27-year-old challenger to keep world champion at bay.
Benavidez Jr. had his moments in the fight while countering vs Terence Crawford as he landed solid left-hand counters while establishing a solid jab.
Though winning the earlier rounds where he had trouble dominating the challenger, it wouldn’t be until the second half of the fight where Crawford would turn it on vs Benavidez Jr.
The showboating Benavidez Jr. tried playing mental warfare by taunting Crawford following seemingly each combination by Crawford.
Though game, his lack of activity and propensity to shell up to a Crawford attack hurt him on Saturday night in his first world championship fight in his career.
The body work by the champion wore down the Arizona native as Benavidez Jr. would grow increasingly frustrated, leading him into leaning on the ropes and dropping his hands trying to bait his opponent.
Crawford, flamboyant and sticking his tongue at Benavidez Jr. as he toyed with him, would punctuate a brilliant second half of the fight by thrilling 11,000+ in Omaha, Nebraska.
With one minute to go in the 12th round, Crawford would use a thunderous right uppercut on the inside to floor Jose Benavidez Jr., who had trouble getting back to his feet.
Crawford, with time winding down in the fight, would put Benavidez Jr. away as Celestino Ruiz would jump in to stop the fight.
Thought by many to be the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Terence Crawford reminded everyone why that lofty label has been attached to his name.
While things got dicey at times for Crawford, who doesn’t mind getting a punch in the face now and then to deliver a hailstorm of punishment, it was as dominant of a performance as most would’ve expected.
He last fought in June when he dispatched Jeff Horn by 9th-Round TKO and won Horn’s WBO welterweight is his debut at 147 pounds.
After passing his latest challenge with flying colors, Crawford gave his thoughts on his thrilling knockout victory.
“We just took our time in there,” Crawford said during his post-fight interview. “Everything that went on this week … he tried to get in my head. (He) wanted me have a fire fight with him. We knew if we got in a rhythm we could do what we want and that’s what we did.”
Its 2-for-2 for Terence Crawford in the welterweight division, as he continues his ascension up the 147-pound weight class in hopes of becoming the unified champion of the division.
“I want em all. I been saying it all along,” Crawford said. “It ain’t my job to get the fights done. It’s my job to fight the fights that everybody want to see and I been calling for all of them ever since I moved up to the division. So that’s up to Bob (Arum) and Top Rank.”
What are your thoughts on Terence Crawford’s victory tonight? Leave your comments below!