Terence Crawford ready to box, brawl and bang against Jeff Horn on Sunday
TERENCE Crawford is seething about being labelled a “princess” by Jeff Horn’s camp and promised to punish the Australian in Las Vegas this weekend.
Boxing/MMA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Boxing/MMA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
TERENCE Crawford is seething about being labelled a “princess” by Jeff Horn’s camp and promised to punish the Australian, while his trainer predicted the visitors would throw in the towel in Las Vegas this weekend.
“I’m a show ’em a princess come Saturday (Sunday AEST),” Crawford told Australian media on Wednesday, the first time he’d allowed the touring press pack to speak to him.
The undefeated challenger for Horn’s WBO welterweight title held a seething demeanour as he spoke about his rival.
THERE’S GONNA BE BLOOD: Horn’s warning over horsehair gloves
GORY BUSINESS: Cutman key to Horn’s success
“This whole fight got me motivated, they’ve been talking a lot, everybody knows how I respond on a lot of people running their mouth, so I’m going to be ready to put on a show,” Crawford said.
His trainer Brian McIntyre said Horn’s coach Glenn Rushton — who’d called Crawford a princess after he withdrew from the originally planned fight date due to a hand injury — had been shopping for towels on the Vegas strip that he’d have to throw into the ring to stop the punishment Crawford will dish out.
“I think his trainer is going to make him quit,” McIntyre said.
“Jeff is a determined fighter, he’s going to want to go out there, but his trainer is going to say ‘No, I can’t send you back out there, you’re taking a beating’. I think that’s what Glenn’s going to say.
“I think Glenn’s going to throw the towel in, I had seen him at Walmart earlier today and he was picking out towels, so I knew what he was doing that for.”
Crawford, previously the undisputed lightweight champion fighting at welterweight for the first time, slammed Horn and his camp for complaining about him wearing the MX Everlast horsehair gloves for this bout.
“He’s the bigger, stronger guy, I’m the smaller guy, remember? So why would he be complaining about anything if I’m such a pussy about my hand?” Crawford said.
“Why would he be complaining about a glove that he’s wearing? I don’t see where the problem is with that.
“I’ve been wearing them gloves all my career and this is the first time I’ve had anybody complain about them. You’re entitled to wear the same gloves.
“You’re the bigger, stronger guy, remember? You’re going to knock me out, that gives you a better chance of knocking me out.”
Crawford is expected to be more than 2kg lighter than Horn by the time the fighters have hydrated after their Friday weigh-in, but the American compared his rise in weight class to undefeated legend Floyd Mayweather.
“I’m stronger, I’m hitting harder, I’m faster, come Saturday I’m a show everybody my welcome to the 147 pound division,” Crawford said.
“It doesn’t matter, Floyd fought underweight his whole career and what happened?
“Just because you’re heavier, it doesn’t mean anything.
“I never spar anybody my weight, everybody is always 20 or 30 pounds heavier, that little five pounds is not going to make a difference to me.”
Crawford (32-0, 23KO) expects rough tactics from Horn (18-0-1, 12KO).
“Headbutts, elbows, he does what he’s got to do to get the job done, but that’s not my concern,” Crawford said.
“My concern is to go in there and do what I’ve been doing, dominate each and every fight, and I’ll let the ref do his job and I’ll do my job.
“I just think he comes in with the will to win, he does whatever it takes.
“He’s not the only one that came in headbutting and throwing elbows, he fights to win so you’ve got to tip your hat off to a guy that’s willing to do any and everything to win.
“I’m ready for whatever; if he wants to box, if he wants to bang, if he wants to brawl. I’m ready for whatever he brings to the table.”
Watch Boxing, UFC and MMA on FOX SPORTS. SIGN UP NOW >