Terence Crawford and Islam Makhachev Face Unique Dilemma Linking Boxing and UFC Worlds

Terence Crawford is on the cusp of boxing history. On September 12, 2025, he steps up to super middleweight to face Mexican superstar Canelo Álvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. A victory would make Crawford a five-division world champion, joining the ranks of legends like Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Crawford’s first world title was a milestone, but his legacy only grew as he kept making history after turning pro in 2008. He became the first male boxer to claim undisputed championships in two different weight classes — super lightweight in 2017 and later welterweight. Now, with a 41-0 record, he’s just one fight away from becoming the first man in the modern four-belt era to go undisputed in three divisions. But before he takes that shot at greatness, Crawford opened up about a unique dilemma that connects the boxing and UFC worlds. So what is it?

Terence Crawford had the talent but lacked the backing

Just a few hours ago, Terence Crawford appeared on the Full Send Podcast, where he was asked about the biggest issue in boxing. Crawford explained that opportunities are often unfairly distributed. “You can be the number one contender… but fighters keep jumping you,” he said, pointing out how politics, popularity, and social media following often determine who gets title shots instead of talent and rankings. “I am not gonna fight him because he is not worthy enough or he don’t have enough followers… He is a great fighter, but his name not as big as him,” is what Terence Crawford pointed out as the factors that stop new but skillful boxers from getting their first title shot

When asked if he had personally dealt with that on his way up, Terence Crawford admitted, “Oh yeah, of course.” The interviewer pressed further about promoters holding him back, and Bud Crawford explained it wasn’t necessarily promoters but the lack of opportunities. “When I first started pro, a lot of people didn’t want to fight me because I didn’t have the money behind me,” he said, noting that his skill made him too risky for too little reward.

The 37-year-old further elaborated that opponents often demanded higher paydays to fight him, knowing they were risking a loss. “We want some money to fight this kid because we putting our fighter in harm’s way,” he explained. For Crawford, boxing was always more of a business than just competition, and many fighters avoided him unless it made financial sense.

He added that early in his career, he missed out on big fights because of this. Things improved once he signed with Top Rank (back in 2011), but the same obstacles resurfaced as he moved up in weight. Terence Crawford then recalled chasing top names only to be told, “Oh no, you over there. We over there,” highlighting the politics that still plague the sport today. Sadly, Terence Crawford isn’t the only one facing this issue, where talent alone often isn’t enough to secure opportunities.

Islam Makhachev backed by ex-fighter’s UFC truth

English proficiency and social media presence have become crucial for foreign fighters, something Islam Makhachev’s team is well aware of. Yet not everyone succeeds at balancing both. UFC veteran Corey Anderson highlighted this reality back in 2020, saying: “Hunter Campbell had a conversation with me and he told me, ‘We can’t give you a title fight. It’s 100% that you deserve a title fight, but we can’t give it to you because your social media isn’t there.’”

To maximize opportunities, fighters are often expected to trash talk, engage on social media, and perform well in media appearances. This helps explain why stars like Conor McGregor command global attention, while many others struggle to reach that level of exposure. Even Islam Makhachev has acknowledged the challenge. In a recent interview with Ushtayka journalist Islam Babadzhanov, he responded to the question, “Is it wrong to say that the Caucasian fighters are not advantageous to the UFC?” by agreeing: “That’s why I’m telling all our guys in the audience to learn the language so they can sell their fight. This is one of the main parts of our career. We should sell our broadcasts, and we should be interesting fighters for the world.”

Meanwhile, UFC President Dana White and his team have often been criticized for favoring English-speaking fighters. Undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev, despite holding a 19-0 record, receives limited attention. Similarly, Dagestani light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev had to wait a long time before finally earning a title shot against Alex Pereira in 2025. Khabib Nurmagomedov himself criticized the delay, accusing the UFC of “stalling” Dagestani fighters. So, what are your thoughts on the situation?