Terence “Bud” Crawford became the undisputed welterweight champion of the world when he outclassed Errol Spence Jr. on Saturday, July 29. With the win, Crawford became the first male boxer in the four-belt era to unify two divisions.
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford's love for boxing started at the tender age of seven. His natural talent shone through as he won numerous amateur titles, turning professional in 2008. His rise in boxing has been meteoric, with highlights such as winning the WBO lightweight title in 2014 and defending the WBO welterweight title four times.
Crawford's journey to becoming a champion was marked by determination and resilience, which he attributes to his childhood experiences. Crawford's mother used unorthodox methods aimed at toughening him up. He said his mother would pay other children to challenge him physically.
"It just made me more hungry. Hungry, like, 'Man, my mom going against me. I'm gonna prove her wrong. My mom said I can't do this, I'm gonna do it anyways,'" he said.
"I was angry but I feed off of that," he told "CBS Mornings." "I feed off of the non-believers."
As Crawford continues to make waves in the boxing world with an impressive 40-0 record, he said the doesn't feel pressure, but that he feels he has a bullseye on his back, "because once you at the top of Mount Rushmore, everybody wants your position."
Despite the hardships,
Terence Crawford’s journey from Omaha to boxing stardom is a tale of passion, skill, and relentless pursuit of greatness.