Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Several sources are reporting that Top Rank, promoter for super lightweight newcomer Terence Crawford (25-0-0, 17 KOs) and featherweight Nicholas Walters (25-0-0, 21 KOs), is working on a card that would feature them both in a doubleheader on March 21, 2015 from the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
April 18 previously was the planned return date for Crawford, but it was moved up to March, according to Bob Arum (Per Boxingscene.com).
“It’s because that’s the date that was available at the Garden,” Arum told Boxing Scene.
Crawford, who has sold out the CenturyLink Arena in his home town of Omaha, Nebraska his last two fights, would be getting an opportunity to expand his fan base into New York City, where he has never fought as a professional.
Walters would once again receive a tremendous opportunity for exposure by fighting in a co-main event on HBO.
In his last bout, he defeated 2012 Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire in impressive fashion last October, stopping the “Filipino Flash” in the sixth round of the co-main event for Gennady Golovkin vs. Marco Antonio Rubio from the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California.
Dan Rafael of ESPN has written about a potential matchup between Crawford and former WBO title holder Chris Algieri.
“[Carl] Moretti (Vice President of Top Rank) said he spoke to Star Boxing promoter Joe DeGuardia about making a fight with former titlist Chris Algieri for the vacant WBO version of the junior welterweight title, but Moretti said they were not remotely in the same ballpark regarding the money.”
One would assume that DeGuardia and contender Algieri are looking for a big pay day following his November 2014 loss to superstar welterweight titleholder Manny Pacquiao on HBO PPV.
Rafael also reports that Moretti has spoken to Golden Boy Promotions about a fight with Crawford and the recently snubbed Mauricio Herrera, but Herrera declined stating that he would not have enough time to get ready for the fight.
As for Walters, Top Rank is looking at Puerto Rican fighter Gamalier Rodriguez whose only two losses came in six-round bouts early on in his career. Rodriguez is also currently ranked No. 1 by the WBO.
Walters currently holds the WBA Featherweight belt and the No. 1 ranked contender is Jesus Andres Cuellar of Argentina, who is coming off an impressive stoppage of Ruben Tamayo back in December 2014.
Some other possible opponents for Crawford are Top Rank’s Jessie Vargas and Juan Diaz. While Walters could look to a guy like Jayson Velez, who fought to a draw with IBF title holder Evgeny Gradovich back in November 2014 on the Crawford vs. Raymundo Beltran undercard.
Rafael states that Top Rank continues to look at different opponents, but if they can’t come up with an acceptable one it is possible the date might be pushed back.
