Terence Crawford reignites his claim to pound-for-pound supremacy as he snuffs out Kell Brook with explosive finish
- American completes a 15th defence of his welterweight crown with knockout of British boxer
- Unbeaten champion ‘Bud’ switches his sights to WBA welterweight king Manny Pacquiao
“What happened there?” asked a clearly dazed Kell Brook moments after referee Tony Weeks had waved off his WBO welterweight title challenge to champion Terence Crawford.
What he was no doubt informed moments later by his corner was that he’d fallen prey to the irresistible power of “Bud” Crawford, just as 27 other fighters before him had.
Brook’s confoundment was wholly justified. He had been cruising for three rounds. The Englishman, a huge underdog in Las Vegas, had more success than anyone would have anticipated, even against the notoriously slow-starting Crawford. He was beating the champion to the jab, had landed a couple of smart combinations and was seeing success with the body. But in a flash, all that good work was for naught.
Crawford wiped out the challenge of England’s top welterweight with an explosive finish to their WBO championship tilt at the MGM Grand on Saturday night.
The American, considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, advanced his record in world title fights to 15-0 with a devastating dismissal of Brook’s challenge.
A short right hook to the temple of Brook (39-3) in round four shook the challenger badly. Referee Tony Weeks gave the Sheffield fighter a chance to unscramble his senses with a standing eight count, but the moment he let the contest continue, Crawford, the most fearsome finisher in the sport, mercilessly moved in on a dazed Brook and quickly claimed his 37th straight win.