Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has weighed in on a fantasy match-up between Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford. The Ukrainian, a former pound-for-pound rival of Crawford, unequivocally picked the Nebraska native to defeat Mayweather in a hypothetical prime-for-prime contest.
The debate centres on the 147lb welterweight division, where both men achieved career-defining success. Mayweather built his legacy there through the 2000s and 2010s with masterful defensive displays in victories over Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley. After Mayweather’s retirement in 2017, Crawford established his own dominance, culminating in his 2023 stoppage of Errol Spence Jr. to become the undisputed champion. Crawford won all eight of his fights at the weight inside the distance.
Usyk, who for a time vied with Crawford for the top spot on pound-for-pound lists, gave his opinion during a short-form interview. When asked to pick a winner between the two American greats, he did not hesitate with his answer.
He offered a simple, one-word response: “Crawford.”
The endorsement from a fellow undisputed champion adds a significant voice to one of modern boxing’s most persistent debates. Mayweather’s supporters point to his perfect 50-0 record and his unparalleled ability to neutralise the offence of elite opponents. However, Crawford’s advocates highlight his unique switch-hitting ability, formidable power, and aggressive finishing instinct as the perfect tools to solve the Mayweather puzzle. Crawford retired in 2025 after becoming the undisputed super-middleweight champion, further cementing a legacy that many, including Usyk, evidently feel stands comparison with any fighter of his generation.
