Terence Crawford will be taking on his most-awaited opponent, Errol Spence Jr., today. The matchup comes amidst calls for a befitting clash between fighters of equal caliber that will give a hung fight. Both clans have undertaken immense levels of negotiation until they could reach a deal that worked in both their favors. Ahead of this historic clash, Terence Crawford has spoken at length about his early life and career.
Today’s fight marks the peak in both Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford’s career and that of Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. The extremely crucial unification fight will see all four world titles in the welterweight division in the hands of the winner. Errol brings the IBF, WBA, and WBC titles to the table, while Crawford brings his WBO title into the ring. These are the massive stakes of the fight. To reach this pinnacle today, both fighters have had to navigate through some turbulent waters in their lives. Terence spoke about one such event.
An incident that could not deter Terence Crawford
The welterweight fighter sat down with Mike Tyson for a candid conversation ahead of his big fight against ‘The Truth.’ In a conversation with Mike and DJ Whoo Kid on the Hotboxin with Mike Podcast, Bud revealed a life-threatening incident from his past. When the DJ asked him about the situation, he also asked if it was the reason why Bud chose to become a boxer. A perplexed Mike probed further about the incident. It was then revealed that the fighter had been shot in his early days.
Elaborating on the circumstances that led to the disturbing event, Terence said that he was “hanging out with the wrong crowd. Doing the wrong things. You know, that’s my testimony.” However, that did not stop the man from rising through the ranks and making a name for himself. Imagine recovering from a gunshot and yet registering his name in the Hall of Fame. But he remains grateful that he gets to do what he does despite being shot in the head. He said, “A lot of people who get shot at in the head don’t survive, let alone be able to have all the faculties that I do.”
A very impressed Mike then applauded Terence for doing what he did to overcome the tragedy. He said, “You gotta be a crazy motherfuc*** to get shot in the head and still do this shi*.”
A gunshot that does not define his life
Terence Crawford has time and again proven that he is beyond what he looks like. And he is most definitely beyond the injury that he sustained when he got shot. This is a story of perseverance, resolution, and strength, and Bud stands at the core of it.
Just a few days ahead of his 21st birthday, he was spending some time with his friends shooting some dice. As he won some bucks, he decided to retire from the game and take a seat in his 1986 Pontiac Cutlass Supreme. As he began counting his bills, he was struck by a bullet fired from the rear.
The bullet was not aimed at Terence, but it still hit his head on the right side, right below his ear. A badly bleeding Bud dialed his mother and his trainer, ‘Bomac’ McIntyre. As he reached the ER, it was determined that his injuries were not fatal. A few stitches would fix him up just fine. This is not where the story ends. It is here that it actually begins—a tale of his resilience.
Just two months after this incident, he entered the boxing ring for his fifth fight of the year. He spectacularly won against Michael Williams by knockout.
Today, the world turns its gaze towards the most important fight of Terence Crawford’s life. At the peak of his success, will Bud be able to defend his WBO title and unify it with the other three at the welterweight level? He has already written his name in the golden chapters of history, but will he be counted among the victors?