Terence Crawford vs. Raymundo Beltran: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream, TV Info
The man who has put Omaha boxing back on the map will again treat his hometown crowd to his extraordinary talents. WBO lightweight champion Terence "Bud" Crawford (24-0, 17 KO) will defend his title against rugged contender Raymundo "Sugar" Beltran (29-6-1, 17 KO) on Saturday night at the CenturyLink Center.
Steve Kim of UCN Live expects nearly 15,000 fans will come to support Crawford in his hometown.
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This will be Crawford's second defense of the title he won from Ricky Burns in March. He stopped Yuriorkis Gamboa in June to successfully defend the strap in a thrilling bout that also took place in the CenturyLink Center.
Beltran will be getting his second crack at the WBO title. He too faced Burns in Sept. 2013 but had to settle for a draw in a controversial decision.
Beltran is hoping to come away with more favorable results this time. The bout will be televised live on HBO as part of the Boxing After Dark series. IBF featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich will also be defending his title against Jayson Velez on the card.
When: Saturday, Nov. 29 at 10 p.m. ET
Where: CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska
TV: HBO
Live Stream: Box Nation (subscription required and region restricted)
The Book on Crawford
If you've seen Crawford fight, there's almost no denying the fact that he brings something special to the table. His quickness, competitiveness, in-ring IQ and punching power make for an intriguing and effective combination.
Crawford is the rare, pure boxer who will put butts in seats because of his action-packed style. He's exploded on the scene over the last 18 months and taken the lightweight division by storm.
There's nothing left for him to accomplish at 135 pounds, and that's why it's time for a new challenge. Per Lem Satterfield of The Ring, Crawford is ready for bigger things. The Nebraskan said: “This is my last fight at 135 and then I’m moving up. I’ve been at this weight since I was 17, so that’s 10 years. I just feel like it’s in my best interest to move up. But right now, I’m focused on my next fight against Beltran.”
Taking a look at the biggest names at 135 pounds reveals why Crawford has to move up if he's to maximize his earning potential and elevate his game.
WBA champion Richar Abril is skilled, but his style is less than appealing. The Money Team's Mickey Bey would be a partially attractive opponent, though Crawford would be a big favorite in a potential fight. However, Bey is signed to Showtime, which would complicate matters.
Perhaps the most intriguing opponent would be WBC champion Omar Figueroa. He's an all-action fighter with a fairly decent following. Crawford would probably take him apart with his speed and boxing skills, but the bout would generate some interest.
The same potential impediment for a bout with Bey is present here. Figueroa is signed to Golden Boy Promotions. While the cold war between Top Rank/HBO and GBP/Showtime seems to be lifting, we still can't assume these types of fights will be made.
At 5'8", the 27-year-old with a 70-inch reach has the physical tools to make the move. In fact, he already defeated Breidis Prescott at 140 pounds back in March 2013.
Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. and a host of others started their careers near or at the 130-pound mark and ascended divisions. Mayweather made his 140-pound debut in 2004 when he was 27 years old against DeMarcus Corley. Money later made his welterweight debut the following year against Sharmba Mitchell.
It's too early to compare Crawford to Mayweather, but the two could be taking similar paths.
Looking for Justice
Let's face it: Beltran beat Burns last year. Despite dropping the tough former champion in his native Scotland—and breaking his jaw—Beltran was robbed of a win and the world title he deserved.
Crawford knows his opponent on Saturday wasn't given a fair shake against Burns, but don't expect him to feel too sorry for him. Per Nat Gottlieb of HBO.com, Crawford said: "Beltran feels I have something—a world title belt—which belongs to him. He thought he beat Ricky Burns and I thought Beltran won too. But he didn't and I did."
Without question, Beltran has a tougher assignment on Saturday than he had against Burns. After all, Crawford easily outboxed Burns to win the title. Also, stylistically, Crawford will presumably present more issues because of his speed, length and power.
Beltran seems to be prepared for the challenge, and he cites the robbery in Scotland as a source of his preparedness and confidence. Per Gottlieb, he said: "Crawford is talented, has skill, but I have the ability to adapt and will be ready for what he brings. The situation against Burns made me stronger. I felt the love of the crowd and all of their respect that night."
No matter what happens on Saturday in Omaha, Beltran isn't likely to feel the love from the pro-Crawford contingent at the CenturyLink Center. We'll see if he can gain their respect.
Prediction
Crawford is at an exciting point in his career. He's fighting at an elite level and he's doing it regularly. This will be his third fight in 2014. Should he win, he'd be a candidate for Fighter of the Year.
In my opinion, you may as well pencil him in as a solid contender for that honor. Crawford's speed, jab, ambidextrous approach and power will be too much for Beltran. Sugar has never faced a fighter with Crawford's physical tools.
To augment those physical gifts, Crawford is also smart in the ring. He's great at adjusting mid-fight.
In his last bout, he was hurt and troubled by Gamboa's speed and power early. He switched to southpaw in the middle rounds and took over the fight. Gamboa could no longer find the range, and Crawford ultimately stopped him in the ninth after flooring him four times.
Beltran may not go down four times on Saturday, but he will be stopped. Crawford is on his way up the pound-for-pound list, and he'll use a mid-round stoppage win over Beltran as a steppingstone.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.
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