Terence Crawford, Felix Diaz make weight for Saturday’s bout

Terence Crawford, left, hits Viktor Postol during their WBC-WBO junior welterweight title unification bxoing bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)

Terence Crawford, left, lands a left cross on Viktor Postol during their title-unification bout in July 2016 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Crawford won a wide decision/AP photo by Chase Stevens

 

Junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford and Felix Diaz on Friday successfully made weight for their showdown Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City (on HBO).

Crawford (30-0, 21 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., weighed in at 139.2 pounds. Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, weighed 139.4; the limit is 140.

 

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Felix Diaz believes Terence Crawford has fought no one like him

FAIRFAX, VA - OCTOBER 17: Lamont Peterson punches Felix Diaz Jr. during their welterweight bout on the campus of George Mason University on October 17, 2015 in Fairfax, Virginia. Peterson won on judges decision. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Felix Diaz, right, covers up as Lamont Peterson swings on him during their fight in October 2015/Getty Images

 

Terence Crawford is undefeated and holder of two of the major junior welterweight belts. But none of that cuts any ice with Felix Diaz, who Saturday will challenge Crawford for his titles at Madison Square Garden in New York City (on HBO).

“With his style, I know I can beat Terence Crawford,” Diaz said this week during a conference call. “Crawford has fought no one like me. Stylistically, I can beat him.”

Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs) won the gold medal for the Dominican Republic in the 2008 Beijing Games. His only loss as a pro came to former junior welterweight and current welterweight champion Lamont Peterson via majority decision in October 2015.

Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., is 30-0 with 21 knockouts.

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Terence Crawford sentenced to jail in Omaha over April body shop beef

Bud Crawford

Terence Crawford celebrates his 8th-round TKO of John Molina Jr. on Saturday/Photo by Sarah Hoffman, Omaha World-Herald

 

Junior welterweight boxing champion Terence Crawford on Thursday was sentenced to 90 days in jail in his native Omaha, Neb. The punishment stems from two misdemeanor convictions over a disturbance at an Omaha body shop in April.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Crawford figures to serve 53 days. He was handcuffed and taken to jail.

Crawford in April did business with Extreme Custom Fleet & Auto. He reportedly wasn’t happy with the work, or how long it took, and tried to take the car without paying the balance of the bill by removing it from a hydraulic lift, causing some $3,300 in damage.

The shop owner said he felt threatened by Crawford and a group of his friends, though there was no violence nor threat of it, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

The newspaper wrote that Crawford showed up to court wearing a gray sweatsuit and Michael Jordan Nike high-tops. Upon sentencing him, judge Marcena Hendrix told Crawford, “You’ve continued to act as if you are above the law, and you are not.”

Prosecutors told the judge Crawford was “not truthful” during a presentence probe.

Crawford, 29, is coming off an eighth-round technical knockout of John Molina Jr. of Covina this past Saturday in Omaha. He must also serve two years probation and perform 120 hours of community service. He was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution.

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John Molina Jr. of Covina to challenge Terence Crawford for titles on Dec. 10

John Molina Jr.

John Molina Jr./Photo courtesy of Premier Boxing Champions

 

John Molina Jr. of Covina will get his second chance to win a major world title when he challenges Terence Crawford for his two junior welterweight belts Dec. 10 at CenturyLink Center in Crawford’s native Omaha, Neb. (on HBO).

Molina (29-6, 23 KOs), a gradaute of Charter Oak High, challenged Antonio DeMarco of Tijuana for his lightweight title in September 2012, but was stopped in the first round at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

Crawford (29-0, 20 KOs) is coming off a wide decision over Viktor Postol in a title-unification bout in July at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

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Oscar Valdez explosive in knocking out Matias Rueda in second to win title

Oscar Valdez/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Oscar Valdez, a highly touted featherweight out of Mexico, is now a world champion after knocking out Matias Rueda of Argentina at 2:18 of the second round to win the title recently vacated by Vasyl Lomachenko.

The bout was the semi-main event to the junior welterweight title-unification fight between Viktor Postol and Terence Crawford won by Crawford via wide decision.

Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) came out swinging and laid some serious leather on Rueda (26-1) in the first round. Valdez then decked Rueda with an absolutely vicious left hook to the body in the second round, Rueda tasting the canvas after a second delay.

Rueda rose at about nine seconds, but Valdez was on him again and landed several shots to the head before again decking Rueda with a body shot. The bout was waved off right then and Valdez ran around the ring in celebration.

“The best day of my life,” Valdez said. “It’s what my father and I have dreamed of since I started boxing.”

Rueda was simply overmatched, his record coming in notwithstanding.

“He caught me with a good (punch) in the second round and that was it,” Rueda said. “I could never recover from that.”

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Viktor Postol says Terence Crawford did not want to make their fight exciting

Viktor Postol, left, is knocked back by Terence Crawford during their WBC-WBO junior welterweight title unification boxing bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)

Viktor Postol’s glove touches the canvas in the fifth round, Terence Crawford getting his second knockdown of the round/AP photo by Chase Stevens

 

Terence Crawford won a wide unanimous decision over Viktor Postol in a junior welterweight title-unification bout Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

What was interesting about the fight was how much Crawford danced and moved. Both fighters came in 28-0, but Crawford entered with 20 knockouts to just 12 for Postol. Yet, Crawford was the fighter who seemed unwilling to go toe-to-toe. Afterward, he and his trainer – Brian McIntyre – both talked about how film they studied of Postol showed he can’t get his punches off unless he’s sitting down on them, which can’t be done when a fighter has to chase another.

Postol made note of Crawford’s excessive movement in the post-fight news conference.

“What I tried to do is make the fight happen,” said Postol, of Ukraine. “I tried to go forward. I didn’t choose to do a technical style and make it only a chess match. I think I did my best to make it an exciting fight. I think the other side did not really want to do that.”

Postol was asked if he expected Crawford to move as much as he did.

“No, I did not expect that,” Postol said. “I thought there were two champions in there and one was going to be a unified world champion. And I thought we’re both there to prove we’re a world champion.”

Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., won by scores of 118-107, 118-107 and 117-108. He did score two knockdowns in the fifth round. The first was a flash knockdown in the opening seconds of the round, Postol later saying he was off-balance. The second came when Postol’s glove touched the canvas after he was sent reeling from a left to the head. Postol said that one was legitimate.

The fight was carried on HBO pay-per-view. It will be replayed on HBO next Saturday.

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Viktor Postol, Terence Crawford make weight for their showdown Saturday

Terence Crawford/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

All four fighters for Saturday’s two main fights at MGM Grand in Las Vegas made weight Friday.

Viktor Postol weighed 139 1/2 pounds and Terence Crawford came in at the 140-pound limit for their junior welterweight title-unification bout (on HBO pay-per-view).

Postol, of Ukraine, is 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., is 28-0 with 20 knockouts.

The semi-main event will feature a vacant featherweight world-title fight between Oscar Valdez (19-0, 17 KOs) of Mexico and Matias Rueda (26-0, 23 KOs) of Argentina. Valdez weighed in at the 126-pound limit, Rueda came in a pound light at 125.

 

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Viktor Postol brimming with confidence ahead of bout with Terence Crawford

Viktor Postol/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

Confidence is a force that can do wonders for a fighter. If Viktor Postol has as much as it sounds like he has, Terence Crawford could be in trouble Saturday night.

The two will square off in a junior welterweight title-unification bout at MGM Grand in Las Vegas (on HBO pay-per-view). Postol, of Ukraine, is 28-0 with 12 knockouts. Crawford, of Omaha, Neb., is 28-0 with 20 knockouts. It’s just the type of fight that can be won by the fighter more sure of himself during the vital moments.

Postol was asked recently to explain what’s different about Crawford compared to others he’s fought. Postol mentioned all of Crawford’s fine points, such as his technical skills and his ability to successfully change stances. Then Postol spoke in very self-assured tones.

“But that does not mean he is the best I have fought,” Postol said. “I think Lucas Matthysse is a higher-level fighter than Crawford and everyone knows how my fight with Matthysse ended, with him knocked out and the WBC belt around my waist.”

Postol won a vacant title with a 10th-round knockout of the hard-hitting Matthysse this past October at StubHub Center.

“And that is exactly where the WBC belt will remain after my fight with Crawford,” Postol said. “Just above the WBO belt (currently held by Crawford). I am looking forward to destroying Crawford, destroying his perfect record and destroying his reign as world champion.”

Wow. This dude sounds serious.

Crawford actually likes Postol’s spirit, even if he doesn’t agree with everything he said.

“He is supposed to say he is going to destroy anybody that he is going to step in the ring with,” Crawford said. “But to my knowledge, I don’t care what he says because come (Saturday) he is going to have to show me; he is not going to just be able to tell you.

“He knew who to fight. He had the option of fighting either me or Matthysse and he thought Matthysse was the easier fight because he knew if he was going to fight Terence Crawford, he knew what was going to happen.”
Oh, yeah, this could be a good one.

Although Crawford has more knockouts, Postol has knocked out two of the three fighters he’s faced under the guidance of trainer Freddie Roach. Postol is also three inches taller and has a reach advantage of 3 1/2 inches.

Since Postol has a nice left jab, that could be a big weapon for him. Roach thinks so.
“Viktor has a height advantage and a little bit of a reach advantage,” he said. “He sets things up real well with his left hand.”

Crawford scoffs.

“It’s funny how all of the people are giving Postol all of the credit for his jab, but nobody is talking about how good my jab is,” Crawford said. “So I’m loving it.  I’m loving it.”

Those in attendance and watching on TV figure to be loving this fight. It’s a tough one to pick, but the feeling here is Crawford will prevail in a tough one.

The winner could get a shot at Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 5. But it’s doubtful these two will be thinking about that during what should be a tremendous back-and-forth bout with each boxer having big moments.

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Viktor Postol’s wife, Olga, delivers their twin sons a bit earlier than expected

Viktor Postol/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 
Viktor Postol’s wife, Olga, was expected to deliver their twin sons at the end of this month. They came a bit early, however, with that blessed event taking place Tuesday.

Postol said at Wednesday’s final news conference promoting his junior welterweight title-unification bout Saturday against Terence Crawford at MGM Grand in Las Vegas that he was stoked his wife delivered before the fight.

“As you know, my wife gave birth to twin boys last night,” Postol said. “It made me very happy. It relieved a certain worry before this fight.”

Postol had promised his wife that when their sons were born, he would have a championship belt for each of them – meaning his and Crawford’s. Now they’ll be five days old if, and when, their father gets the second belt.

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It’s good to know Adrien Broner won’t be Manny Pacquiao’s opponent Nov. 5

Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

 

It’s good to know that when Manny Pacquiao fights in the fall, it won’t be against Adrien Broner, who apparently priced himself out of the sweepstakes with unrealistic demands.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, on Wednesday confirmed with several reporters that he had secured a date and site for Pacquiao’s bout against a still-to-be-determined opponent. It will be Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Not only did Broner apparently ask for too much to fight Pacquiao, Broner on Tuesday was sent to jail because he missed the beginning of his trial for felony assault and aggravated robbery, crimes he allegedly committed Jan. 21 in his native Cincinnati.

Broner was found in contempt of court and given 30 days in jail. He was taken away upon his arrival, about three hours late, according to a story on ESPN.com.

As for Pacquiao’s next opponent, it figures to be one of three guys – Viktor Postol, Terence Crawford or Jessie Vargas.

Postol and Crawford fight this Saturday at MGM Grand in Las Vegas in a junior welterweight title-unification bout. Vargas is a welterweight world champion.

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