Terence Crawford could defeat Floyd Mayweather, but only the “Money” version. That's according to former three-weight champion Shane Mosley who was the latest to chime in on the Crawford vs. Mayweather debate.
The debate has always been there among boxing circles, but it's been reignited in a big way after Crawford became the undisputed welterweight champion following his dominant ninth-round TKO win over Errol Spence Jr. in July.
The manner of the one-sided victory led some, like former two-weight champion Carl Frampton, to claim that version of “Bud” beats any version of Mayweather.
“There’s a big statement that I want to make here. The fighter of our generation, everyone will probably agree, is Floyd Mayweather,” Frampton said. “I think that Terence Crawford is now the fighter of our generation. That performance beats Floyd Mayweather at his best, at welterweight, I genuinely believe that.”
Of course, Mayweather is now retired and only taking part in exhibitions against low-level boxers, so the debate will never get a definitive answer.
However, Mosley — one of the few fighters to have hurt Mayweather during the latter's professional career — also believes Crawford is capable of beating Mayweather thanks to the power he possesses.
“Crawford hits hard,” Mosley during an interview with The Art Of Dialogue (via Boxing Scene). “Crawford is very strong. He has long arms, southpaw, right-handed and he’s coming to get you.
“I could see Mayweather outboxing him but I can also see Crawford catching him with one of those funny uppercuts.”
That said, Mosley only sees Crawford defeating the “Money” version of Mayweather that was largely a defensive counter-puncher towards the end of his career.
If Crawford were to be paired up against “Pretty Boy Floyd” — the younger and more aggressive version of Mayweather — Mosley sees the latter likely coming out on top.
“Money Mayweather, I think Crawford beats,” Mosley added. “Pretty Boy, I think it might be Pretty Boy because he’s more aggressive.”
It's certainly an interesting point, but it should also be noted that it was the “Money” version of Mayweather that fought at welterweight and above rather than the “Pretty Boy” version who fought at the lower weight classes.
That is, unless, Mosley's comparison is referring to Crawford's days as a lightweight and super lightweight which would still be interesting fight nonetheless.
But again, we can only speculate at this point.
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