Terence Crawford offered fight by two-weight world champion he confronted in altercation

Dec 2, 2025 - 13:30

Teofimo Lopez wants to face Terence Crawford in 2026 and will pursue the bout if he beats Shakur Stevenson.

Crawford has multiple options after beating Canelo Alvarez to claim the undisputed super-middleweight titles in stunning fashion in September.

Crawford has a number of options after beating Canelo to become pound-for-pound king

‘Bud’ doesn’t have to fight again, but has suggested he could fight again in March with a move to 160lbs and a clash with Janibek Alimkhanuly on the cards.

A rematch with Alvarez is also being discussed, but it could take a mammoth purse to lure him back into the rivalry.

In a new approach, current WBO super-welterweight champion Lopez is now keen to settle his feud with Crawford.

And he insists he will look to beat Crawford’s friend and pound-for-pound star Stevenson on December 31 before pursuing the bout.

He said: “Crawford sent out one of his little guys to finish the job, and I think that’s not going to work.

“I’m still going to be here, and if he’s still going to be in boxing, I’d love to face him right after.”

A fight would likely need to see Lopez move up one or several weight classes to do battle.

Crawford last fought at 168lbs and is open to moving down to 160lbs but is unlikely to come down much further at this stage of his career.

Terence Crawford and Teofimo Lopez’s history

A fight between the pair would make sense, given they are not on the best of terms.

Crawford confronted Lopez last year at a boxing event in October, after his potential rival slammed his professional record and accused him of fighting injured opponents.

Lopez has agitated Crawford on multiple occasions and is now on the hunt for a clash

The pair then also traded words over Lopez’s racist remarks towards himself and Gervonta Davis.

And ‘Bud’ insisted he would beat him in a boxing fight if the pair ever did do battle after his disrespectful tirade.

He said: “Teo is like the little kid that’s screaming for attention.

“Had me or Tank called him a racial slur, they would’ve been trying to cancel us, calling us racist; it would’ve been all over the news.

“The hatred that’s within always shows. That’s not something that’s just came out, that’s something that’s been inside that man that he was taught as a little kid.

“[Teofimo is] disrespectful. He’s playing because he thinks everything’s a game.

“But he doesn’t understand I will beat the stuffing out of him.”