In what many are hoping will be a decisive yet competitive battle, undefeated junior welterweight boxing champions Terence Crawford (28-0, 20KOs) and Viktor Postol (28-0, 12KOs) will be facing each other in Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 23, 2016 for a unification bout for the WBO and WBC World Super lightweight title.
The fight will be distributed live on HBO Pay Per View beginning at 9:00 pm ET/ 6:00 pm PT.
While both Postol and Crawford come into this fight with some impressive fights in the rearview and the unbeaten records to prove it, Crawford is by far the one who will be coming into the ring with the most shine and star power.
Postol, as an awkward but tricky boxer out of the Ukraine, suffers from a palpable lack of recognizable names on his record.
Nevertheless one name that goes far when it comes to instant momentum and fan respect is Postol’s most recent KO win against tough veteran fighter Lucas Matthysse at The StubHub Center in Carson, California in 2015.
Given the manner in which Postol was able to dispatch with Matthysse and win the vacant WBC World super lightweight title in the bargain, it is fervent the hope of fans and matchmakers alike that Postol will prove to be the real test that has eluded Terence Crawford like clockwork since 2013.
In a professional career that has been as masterful as it has been largely one sided, since winning the WBO NABO Lightweight title in June of 2013, Crawford has been an unstoppable force, mowing down a who’s who of professional boxing’s best and most skilled fighters in virtuosic displays of dominance within whatever division he enters.
It only follows then that now, at the ripe age of 28, Crawford has already had the honor of being named both the Boxing Writers Association Of America’s Fighter Of Year and ESPN’s Fighter Of The Year in 2014.
And it would appear from the performances that got him there that Crawford has only just scratched the surface of his abilities. As such, it would be nice if both Postol and Crawford are pleasantly surprised with some real character building opposition standing across the ring come July 23rd.
If the level of desire and hunger on the part of both fighters is any indicator, the possibility for action is high. Team Crawford, coming out of Oklahoma and not having been a part of the more traditional boxing mystique that Postol now enjoys as a boxer trained under Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, seems to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder despite his larger hoard of accolades and awards.
“We are about to show the world that I am indeed a better trainer than Postol’s trainer Freddie Roach,” stated Brian McIntyre, Crawford’s trainer and co-manager, hardly sounding like the trainer of a complacent champion.
Crawford, who generally likes to make his statement inside of the ring versus outside of it was more basic.
“This is a great opportunity to show the world I’m the best champion at 140,” said Crawford.”
As for Postol, as per Roach, it would seem that July 23rd their should definitely deliver a real battle between two diametrically opposed forces.
“This has Fight of the Year written all over it,” stated Freddie Roach, adding: “For the second consecutive time Viktor will be involved in a world title tilt pitting the two best fighters in the division. He’ll be ready.”
Hopefully for the fans, the combat will be up to s#### competitively.