Play.
Crawford stops Porter in the 10th.
Bud Crawford defeated Shawn Porter in Las Vegas Saturday night to retain his WBO title. There is 1:11.
1:45 AM
After waiting a few seconds, Crawford jumped up and down in front of a sold-out crowd.
For years, a top pound-for-pound fighter without a big win against a fellow 147-pounder. Crawford did not just get a victory.
He received some good news.
In his toughest test in years, Crawford used a couple of big punches to stop Porter in the 10th round to retain his world title.
The question Crawford asked in his post-fight interview was rhetorical and underscored the importance of the outcome and what it means for him and boxing at large.
Who is the top ranked in the division now? Many who cheered loudest for Crawford were in attendance.
It's been the biggest question in the sport for several years, since Floyd Mayweather retired and the void was filled by two men -- Crawford and Errol Spence Jr., who previously beat Porter and was in attendance for Crawford's win.
The fight hasn't been made yet because of boxing's politics, which has Crawford aligned with Top Rank and Spence with the premier boxing champion. Crawford didn't have the big wins on his resume with the top competition fighting under the PBC umbrella.
Saturday night was important because of that. Porter was Crawford's biggest test as a welterweight.
WBO champion Terence Crawford celebrates his victory over Shawn Porter.
Porter is now a common opponent for Crawford and Spence, so he is the best way to see how the fight will go. Porter gave a clear answer in his post-fight interview.
Porter said that he was the best out of everyone he had been in the ring with. I've been in the ring with many people, but that man hit me more than any of them.
Porter wore black sunglasses and an orange and black tracksuit during the press conference after the fight.
The cold war between Crawford and Spence continued. The pro-Crawford crowd booed Spence when he was shown on the big screen. After the fight ended, he quickly left the arena and sent out a message on his account.
Bob Arum was asked about the viability of the Crawford-Spence fight.
After Saturday's win over Shawn Porter, the long-term contract with Top Rank Boxing and Bob Arum expired, meaning that his future promotional home may well be dictated by the likelihood of a fight against Errol Spence Jr.
It was shot down by Arum, like Crawford has done for months, if not years. Arum floated the idea of having undisputed junior welterweight champion Josh Taylor in attendance to see Crawford defend his title, and who also holds all four belts in the 140-pound division.
The Scotland native's appeal in the United Kingdom and the ability to boost pay-per-view buys across two continents could make a Crawford-Taylor fight more lucrative than a Crawford-Spence fight.
Crawford's promotional arrangement could affect everything. His deal with Top Rank is over, and he doesn't seem to be coming back.
Crawford sat next to Arum at the post-fight news conference and said he was pretty sure his decision was already made. When I was with Bob, he couldn't secure the fight for me because I wasn't with him. I'm moving forward with my career and I wish everyone the best.
What happens next is not clear. Crawford left no debate about where he is.
Crawford believed that he was the best fighter in his weight class. Porter gave Crawford the chance to prove it.
