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After Terence Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez last month, uncertainty loomed over his future. Many even believed retirement was on the horizon. Returning home, ‘Bud’ was welcomed in Omaha like the champion he is. Soon after, however, he appeared alongside His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, dropping fresh hints about what lies ahead.

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“The champ have a lot of surprise, for his city, and for the future,” Alalshikh said in a video shared by Ring Magazine. The 38-year-old even presented the Saudi royal with a signed glove he had worn during the Canelo fight. Now, the latest update sheds light on what the GEA chairman might be planning for Crawford’s next chapter.

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Terence Crawford could create history yet again

According to a post from Source of Boxing on X, Janibek Alimkhanuly and Erislandy Lara are rumored to clash in a title unification bout this December. In the meantime, speculation suggests that Terence Crawford could face “Carlos Adames for the 160-pound WBC belt.” If Crawford secures the belt, he would then be in position to meet the winner of Alimkhanuly vs. Lara, who would hold the IBF, WBO, and WBA straps.

Should this scenario play out, Crawford would become the first boxer, male or female, to achieve undisputed status in four different weight divisions. Such a feat is virtually unheard of in the sport and would cement his place far above the rest of today’s boxing elite. Interestingly, Adames and Alimkhanuly were once linked to a potential fight of their own, even trading barbs online, but the matchup never materialized, with no explanation given.

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Regardless, following the X post about Crawford’s potential path, Carlos Adames himself responded, seemingly dismissing the idea. “Who said that?” he wrote on X, casting doubt on Alalshikh’s rumored plans for ‘Bud.’ Despite the new hurdle in his path to undisputed in a fourth weight class, Terence Crawford is staying sharp. 

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Terence Crawford is giving his body the proper time it needs

For most fighters, inactivity is a nightmare. Long layoffs often lead to ring rust, but Terence Crawford refuses to buy into that narrative. “I don’t believe in that,” Crawford told Andre Ward on All The Smoke Fight. “Some people do, I don’t. I think you get your sharpness from sparring and in the gym. If you’re sharp in the gym, you’re gonna be sharp in the fight.”

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Since 2020, the 38-year-old has fought just once a year, but inactivity hasn’t slowed him down. Last month, he cemented his place in boxing history by becoming the sport’s first male three-division undisputed champion after outpointing Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Even after a 13-month layoff, Crawford looked as smooth as ever.

“Me being in the game for so long, your body needs rest,” he explained. “I’m giving my body the proper time it needs to recover.”

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Having said that, it appears Carlos Adames isn’t quite ready to let Terence Crawford walk into his weight class and take his belt. Yet, only time will tell what the future holds for Crawford. Retirement or more legacy. Do you think this fight is happening?

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Written by

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Sudeep Sinha

4,771 Articles

Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

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Deepali Verma

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