If you ordered the Terence Crawford vs. Amir Khan fight on Saturday night, chances are you're angry. Crawford won via 6th-round TKO, but it came after Khan was hit with a low blow and apparently told his trainer Virgil Hunter that he couldn't continue.
Here is a look at the punch that ended the fight:
Amir Khan gets nailed with a low blow around 6 and the fight ends by TKO for Terence Crawford#Boxing #CrawfordKhan pic.twitter.com/u3hVM0Ondp
— David Malandra Jr (@David_Malandra) April 21, 2019
The Madison Square Garden crowd booed the ending vociferously, but because the foul was ruled accidental, Crawford wasn't disqualified and he was awarded the TKO win and successfully defended his WBO Welterweight title.
Prior to the low blow, Crawford was in full control of the bout. He dropped Khan with a counter right hand in the first round and outboxed him throughout the fight. Khan rebounded with a solid second round, but Crawford was dominating, and touching him to the head and body consistently.
The champion's advantages are evidenced by the official scorecards and Compubox numbers below.
Official scorecards from Crawford-Khan pic.twitter.com/1eOhAOnRYj
— Andrew Feldman (@AFeldmanESPN) April 21, 2019
Here is how the boxing community reacted to the ending:
Crawford earned $5 million guaranteed for tonight’s fight, per sources. Anticlimatic finish and easy work for Crawford. Top Rank offered Danny Garcia the fight last year. They should try again. Fighters both on schedule, neither has an obvious dance partner #CrawfordKhan
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 21, 2019
How about “Khan has chosen not to continue”. https://t.co/9XyFXdCH1D
— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) April 21, 2019
Khan said he couldn't continue and there was no point taking five minutes to recover. That was just bizarre.
— Chris McKenna (@cmckennasport) April 21, 2019
Crawford with an all-time low blow. And the fight’s over. What?! Khan looking for a way out?
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) April 21, 2019
I probably will not be telling my grandkids about that.
— adam abramowitz (@snboxing) April 21, 2019
It certainly appeared as though Khan was looking for a way out. While the punch was obviously low, Khan didn't even try to utilize the five minutes he was allowed, and he had been complaining about an injured arm. He was showing the signs of a guy looking to save face in a fight he was destined to lose, most likely via KO. Crawford definitely committed the foul, but this ending won't stain his reputation. It was purely accidental, and instead, Khan is the one who will feel the wrath of angry boxing fans.
The victory runs Crawford's record to a perfect 35-0 with 26 KO. Khan has had a very good career, but this loss pushes him to 33-5 with all but one of the defeats coming by stoppage. Crawford remains in the pound-for-pound conversation, but it's difficult to imagine him being challenged any time in the near future. Crawford and his promoter Bob Arum again expressed a desire to face IBF champion, Errol Spence Jr., along with his promoter Bob Arum.
Arum called out Premier Boxing Champion's Al Haymon and named him as the major impediment to the fight that most boxing fans want to see.
Unless we see Top Rank and PBC work together on a fight between Crawford, Spence Jr, Keith Thurman or one of the respected welterweights under Haymon's advisement, Bud won't be seriously challenged by the fighters within his promoter's reach.