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“Tore Him Up” – Terrified of MMA, Terence Crawford Confesses to Joe Rogan One Aspect of the Sport That Left Even Muhammad Ali Helpless

Published 08/25/2023, 8:15 AM EDT

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Terence Crawford recently unified the WBO, WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring welterweight titles after defeating Errol Spence Jr. with a knockout. Meanwhile, during a recent appearance on Joe Rogan‘s podcast, the 56-year-old asked him if he’d ever consider doing MMA. Crawford dismissed that idea and revealed he didn’t want to fight inside a cage.

Terence Crawford has become one of the biggest boxing legends as of late. He is almost approaching a decade as champion. However, he also knows how to wrestle, which many athletes have used to enter MMA. But he is not considering that option. Let us take a look at why he doesn’t want to do MMA.

Terence Crawford reveals why MMA is not his piece of cake

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Boxing is a big sport when it comes to the money involved. The age-old sport has seen fighters become multi-millionaires. However, that is not the same with MMA. Only a few fighters have ever reached the millionaire tag. Citing this as one of the reasons, Crawford said, “I don’t know. I won’t get paid enough.”

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Furthermore, he also mentioned that even if they offer him a lot of money, he’ll still decline the offer. It is primarily due to the leg kicks, which he feels are not in his forte. “Nope [even if he gets paid more]. Ain’t anybody about to be kicking me,” said the undisputed champion. Moreover, Terence Crawford took the example of boxing icon Muhammad Ali in relation to the kicking aspect of MMA.

‘Bud’ takes Muhammad Ali as an example

Terence Crawford is ready to participate in a boxing match with anyone. He is even ready to wrestle folks if they want a piece of it. However, he doesn’t care about MMA. It is primarily due to the use of kicks in the sport. He said, “Hey look, we could wrestle, we could fight, but the kicks? No. I don’t care.” He also believes that the kicks are a very dangerous form of offense, especially kicks to the leg. Crawford continued, “Man, them kicks are dangerous, bro. Especially, them kicks in the legs.”

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‘Bud’ then took the example of Muhammad Ali’s crossover MMA fight against the Japanese wrestling legend, Antonio Inoki. The majority of the fight saw the Japanese wrestler lay on the ground and kick Muhammad Ali on the legs, which left him reeling at the end. Terence Crawford further stated, “Did you see when Muhammad Ali was doing that exhibition with that kickboxing [Antonio Inoki]? Boy, tore him up.” As such, the undisputed champion has grown to respect the sport. “Now, you respect that sport. I respect it.”

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Terence Crawford has previously demonstrated his proficiency in wrestling fundamentals. In a widely circulated video, he engaged in a physical altercation with an opponent who also exhibited a clear understanding of the ancient sport. Nevertheless, Crawford is resolute in his desire to distance himself from mixed martial arts.

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga Mahanta is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He has a passion for combat sports and a deep understanding of the intricacies of MMA. With his expertise and extensive knowledge, Himanga provides in-depth coverage of UFC events and fighters, bringing his readers closer to the action and the athletes they admire.
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Edited by:

Rupkamal Sarma