Don’t let the nickname “Bud” fool you—Terence Crawford is one mean dude. With an undefeated 30-0 record—including an astonishing 21 by KO—the ambidextrous brawler is no joke. But even for such a seasoned fighter, there are still a few “firsts” to conquer. On Saturday, May 20, Crawford will be making his Madison Square Garden arena debut. (He has fought in the Theater at MSG, but never in the world famous main stadium.) For Crawford, this is nothing short of an honor. “This is where all of the great champions fought,” he said at a pre-fight press conference recently, “and I want to be a big part of it.”
But “The Pride of Omaha” is a long way from Nebraska, and he’s not the only one making his MSG debut that night. His opponent, Felix Diaz, who himself only lives a few blocks from the Garden, will be fighting there for his first time as well. “I would like to thank the man upstairs for making my dream come true,” an effusive Diaz told reporters recently. “The time has finally come.”
While Diaz is a legit opponent, Crawford is one of the most promising boxers in the world and is ranked on many of the sport’s “pound for pound” lists. Can Bud defeat the southpaw Diaz and continue on his path to greatness? As of now, it’s anyone’s guess.
You can catch all the action of Crawford vs. Diaz on Saturday, May 20 at 10:15 p.m., only on HBO!
