Terence Crawford Wants More Money To Fight Without Fans

Welterweight champion Terence Crawford says he will be demanding more money if he is asked to fight without a crowd.

Crawford understands that for the foreseeable future it may be necessary for boxing events to go ahead without a live audience. However, he would expect legendary promoter Bob Arum to pay him additional money alongside his purse due to a loss of earning related to ticket sales. Speaking to Chris Mannix’s on the most recent Sports Illustrated boxing podcast, Crawford said.

“Well, I haven’t heard of that yet. But at the same time, if it was to happen, then they have to pay me more. You know, they have to pay me more because fighters of my status and on my level, we get paid for the people that’s coming there as well. So, you know, if I can’t get paid off of people coming, then I’m gonna have to get paid up front.”

“You know, you’ve gotta pay me, you know, to go up there and do what I do because it ain’t free,” Crawford explained. “Just like people gotta pay, you know, to do anything else in the world. You know, you gotta pay us fighters because, you know, we’re taking a big risk and [a] health risk at the same time. You know, you can’t play boxing. You know, one false move and you can be six feet [deep].”

Crawford is adamant he will not be fighting for any less than what is guaranteed in his contract no matter how bad the ongoing coronavirus pandemic gets, he said.

“Nah, I ain’t ready to do all that,” Crawford said. “I done took less money, you know, almost my whole career, you know, just because I knew where I was trying to go and what I was trying to accomplish. So, you know, we past that part [of my career].”

Crawford is rumoured to be lining up a fight against former champion Kell Brook next before aiming for the divisions best in Errol Spence Manny Pacquiao.

Is Terence Crawford right to demand more money to fight right now?