“True sportsmanship is showing grace in victory and defeat,” as the principle of sportsmanship holds. A winner should not mock or demean the defeated; instead, they should show respect, whether it’s after a hard-fought loss or a decisive win. But emotions often take over when victory arrives. Something similar occurred at Madison Square Garden some time ago. Shakur Stevenson, who moved up a division, defeated WBO and The Ring light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez in a 12-round main event that headlined the Ring VI card.

Throughout the fight, Stevenson had his mentor and close friend, pound-for-pound icon Terence Crawford, by his side. The lead-up even saw Crawford exchange words with Lopez’s father. However, as Shakur secured a historic win, perhaps all the pent-up emotions took over Crawford, who soon after began mocking Team Teofimo Lopez in the ring.  Fans, however, didn’t take the move lightly, with many taking to social media to slam the now-retired three-division undisputed king.

Terence Crawford taunts Team Lopez after Shakur Stevenson’s title win

Crawford’s excitement was obvious. With his phone camera on and Shakur Stevenson standing in the background as the results were being announced, he shouted, “Yes, sir! And the new, and the new… we already know it… we already know it.”

Things escalated quickly. As Shakur became the new light welterweight champion – his fourth weight class – Crawford started moving around, mocking and howling in Team Lopez’s direction. His actions mirrored how Teofimo Lopez Sr. had celebrated theatrically after their heated exchange during the weigh-ins.

Maybe not comparable to other fights – where trash talk and tension often escalated far higher – the Shakur Stevenson-Teofimo Lopez bout still had its flashpoint before they traded shots. It mostly revolved around the two crashing into one another. The enthusiastic involvement of the camps, in this case, Lopez Sr. and Crawford, added fuel to the moment.

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For the record, with their own online and public squabbles, Crawford and Teofimo Lopez already had history. But fans were nonetheless merciless when Crawford suddenly had reason to enjoy the upper hand.

Fans hammer Crawford over post-fight antics

For instance, one fan offered a brutal take. They said, “Gotta be honest… after a fight I expect better professionalism from Crawford… smh… anyway Shakur was spectacular.” Sadly, this view could ultimately become part of the narrative surrounding Shakur’s win tonight.

Another harsher verdict followed: “38 yrs old doing ts, ur retired unc, this ain’t abt u anymore 😭. “A fair assessment. Crawford has stepped away from boxing. But that shouldn’t prevent him from backing a fighter he mentored for years. Still, celebrations like this were bound to draw attention.

One user slammed Crawford, saying, “Bud isn’t that good.” Many fans would dispute that. Unlike many fighters, Crawford is known for his composed demeanor. He prefers to let his hands talk. But as a human, he’s equally susceptible to emotion.

Another criticism read as follows: “Bad Sportsmanship … Crawford u a weird a** old ni**a, gang. @terencecrawford set an example on how not to act u dumb a** country old ni**a.” As an all-time great and pound-for-pound standout, many expect Crawford to serve as a model for young fighters and prospects. So reactions like these could set the wrong precedent.

Bringing up an old grievance of Crawford’s – when he once questioned why he didn’t receive enough respect – this fan said, “Bud, asking why I don’t get the respect I needed 😜, he answers it for himself 😂.” Respect flows when given properly, so the saying goes. Crawford may have reached the top of boxing, but moments like this could dent his legacy.

In hindsight, while Crawford may have crossed a line with his behavior, it may not have been more than an aberration.

The former world champion is usually known for his composure. So this should be viewed as an instance where emotion got the better of him. So it could reasonably be allowed to slide. In the end, what’s more significant is that his fighter delivered a historic victory and could soon push toward his own accomplishments.