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Crawford says Pacquiao can make him a star while dismissing Postol

Fighters Network
25
Feb
Jan 12, 2016; New York, NY, USA; WBO junior welterweight titleholder Terence Crawford vs. Hank Lundy press conference at Chase Square at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  Photo credit: Ed Mulholland/Top Rank Promotions

Terence Crawford and Hank Lundy stare each other down. Photo: Ed Mulholland/Top Rank Promotions

Junior welterweight titleholder Terence Crawford believes the only fight at the moment that will elevate him to superstardom is against a guy who says he’s going to retire after his next fight: Manny Pacquiao.

“The only fight that I was looking like, ‘Man, this fight could take my career to a whole ‘nother level; the only fight out there is Pacquiao,'” Crawford told RingTV.com before the final press conference for his fight with Hank Lundy, Saturday on HBO. “A lot of people said (WBC titlist Viktor) Postol but Postol is not even from the United States, so who knows him? Only real boxing fans know who Viktor Postol is. Pacquiao is the only fighter that is currently in our stable that will take my career to the next level because he’s already a superstar and, to be a superstar, you have to beat a superstar.”

While Pacquiao claims he will retire after his bout against Timothy Bradley on April 9, Crawford, No. 6 on RING’s pound-for-pound list, is obviously hoping he doesn’t. Crawford was in the running to face Pacquiao before the Filipino chose to meet Bradley a third time. “Yeah, hopefully (Pacquiao continues to fight) but, if not, I will still build my superstardom with victory after victory after victory,” Crawford said. “And once I get on pay-per-view and keep putting on great performances like I have been, it will all fall into place.”

The tension between Crawford and Lundy was obvious at the final press conference on Thursday when Crawford pushed Lundy during the stare-down as Lundy was jawing at him. Officials immediately jumped in to separate the two in the lobby at Madison Square Garden, where the bout will take place.



Crawford said he will try to punish Lundy for all the trash talk he’s been doling out if he’s so inclined. Earlier, Crawford mocked Lundy’s ever-present sneer in a room above the Garden lobby where both fighters met the media before the presser. Lundy and his camp sat just a few feet away in a corner of the room as Crawford contorted his face to mock Lundy.

“I’ll probably get him out of there – I’ll probably make him suffer a little bit,” Crawford said. “It just depends on my mood. I’m going to be in a bad mood. You can be assured of that. It just depends on the situation.”

 

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