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Crawford said he plans to return May 20 in Newark

Photo by: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
Fighters Network
03
Mar

Junior welterweight unified and RING champion Terence Crawford said he will return to action on May 20 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on HBO, seemingly cementing an idea that promoter Bob Arum put forth to RingTV.com last week of where the fight will take place.

Crawford said the May 20 date was “in the works” but that no opponent has been determined. The promoter Lou DiBella characterized talks between Crawford and his fighter, Felix Diaz as “not dead, we’re still talking.” And Crawford acknowledged a bout with Diaz would be worthwhile, if that’s who is selected.

“I don’t know who I’m fighting,” Crawford told RingTV.com on Friday at the weigh-in for Keith Thurman’s welterweight unification clash with Danny Garcia on Saturday on CBS. “All I know is that the fight is at Newark, New Jersey and that’s about it. They said it’s guaranteed it’s going to be in Newark, New Jersey.” Added Crawford of the chance to possibly face Diaz, “Felix would be a good opponent but like I said, I don’t deal with the business part. I’m a fighter, I’ll fight anybody.”

Crawford has been chasing an elusive fight with Manny Pacquiao, who doesn’t seem interested in facing him. For now, he prefers the winner of Ricky Burns and Julius Idongo for the WBA/IBF titles on April 15. “That’s the fight that I really want,” Crawford said. “If we can make that fight after this fight — I feel that’s the biggest fight at 140 to make, being that they’re having a unification fight and I already unified so we can have one champion in the division.”



Crawford, who will leave for training camp on April 2, was a familiar but odd sight at the weigh-in, surrounded by PBC, Al Haymon-advised fighters. “It’s no big deal,” he said. “I fought a PBC fighter in John Molina the last time so it’s not a big deal.”

As for who he likes on Saturday, Crawford broke down he respective styles of Garcia and Thurman while remaining noncommittal on a winner. “Garcia got the better timing and Keith got the better legs,” Crawford said. “Each person punches pretty hard. We’ll see who can execute their game plan the best.” Crawford said he had no immediate plans to jump to 147. “I’m comfortable at 140,” he said. “If I’m comfortable, why move up?”

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