Anson Wainwright - In your most recent fight, you won in the season finale of “Friday Night Fights.” Could you tell us about the fight?
Terence Crawford – I felt real good; I felt I did OK. I wouldn’t say great because I got caught with a couple of things I shouldn’t have got caught with. I should have finished him a lot earlier than I did when I hurt him in the first round. Other than that, I think there’s more things to work on.
AW - You previously impressively stopped David Rodela in two rounds over the summer. How happy you were with your performance?
TC – I’m OK with it; I’m not satisfied ‘cause I’ve seen the amount of mistakes I made. I got room for a lot of improvement.
AW - When are you looking at fighting next?
TC – I leave it to my handlers. As far as I’m concerned I’m ready for whatever.
AW - You’ve been a pro since 2008. How do you think you’ve developed? What have you improved?
TC – I got stronger; I got smarter mentally and physically. I know the game more than just coming out of the amateurs, just throw punches and not have a meaning for them.
AW - Who are the key members of your team? Also where do you regularly train?
TC – My trainers are Saul Diaz and Brian McIntyre. My managers are Cameron Dunkin and Brian McIntyre. My promoter is Top Rank. I train at the Viking Shed in Omaha.
AW - Can you tell us about your amateur career, what titles you won and your final record?
TC – I won the PAL, the Blue and Gold, third and fourth at the USAs. I made it to the quarterfinals in the [Olympic] trials. I won Ringside, which is an invitational you don’t have to fight in the regionals to qualify [for]. You just sign up and go but it’s one of the hardest tournaments out there. I won that twice; I was runner-up once.
AW – What current pros have you fought?
TC – I fought Danny Garcia twice, Diego Magdaleno three times. I fought Sadam Ali, Jerry Belmontes. I fought Mason Menard; I fought Miguel Gonzalez, Michael Dallas, Javier Garcia, Mikey Garcia, Ray Robinson, Luis Ramos. I fought pretty much all the prospects out there. I don’t know [what my record was]. I think I lost 11 or 12; I think I had 70 fights.
AW – You mention those lightweight prospects. Where do you feel you think you fit in?
TC – I’m there; sometimes I feel I don’t get the recognition I deserve but I feel I’m right there.
AW - You’re from Omaha, Nebraska, which isn’t known for boxing. Can you tell us how you first became interested in the sport?
TC – I used to fight a lot on the streets and my mom, my dad, everybody was into boxing. My dad was a boxer, my grandpa, my uncles, my cousins. That’s pretty much how I became a boxer. The guy at the gym asked me if I wanted to box and I didn’t know nothing about it. So I’m like, yeah, ‘cause I know I like to fight. So I asked my mom; she said yeah and I’ve been boxing ever since.
AW - For his last two fights, you’ve been Timothy Bradley’s main sparring partner. Can you tell us a little about that and how you’ve found sparring and training with him?
TC – It didn’t affect me at all; it showed me where I am and where I want to be. I’m in there sparring with a world-class fighter, a champion, a true champion and I did good. I know if I can do good with him, then the fighters I’m going to be in with aren’t going to be nothing like him. I feel good about the situation. He’s a good guy; he let me know a lot of things that I probably didn’t know about in and out of the ring. So it was a good experience both times.
AW - Can you tell us a little about your life away from boxing? What are your interests?
TC – Well, currently, I just like to train, take care of my family and do what I got to do to be the best I can be. I play basketball, video games, go outside do things, I got to be active, do some kind of sport. I got a son I take care of. Me and his mom live together but otherwise everything else is boxing with me.
AW - What goals do you have in boxing?
TC – To be the best I can be, be in the Hall of Fame. Pound-for-pound is my ultimate goal but my first goal - one at a time - win this championship at 135 and show I’m the best at 135, then move up.
AW - What fighters did you enjoy watching when you were younger and who do you like to watch today?
TC – I watch a lot of Floyd Mayweather Jnr., Pernell Whitaker, Shane [Mosley] at 135. I watch a lot of boxers; I like boxers who show the art and skills like [Marco Antonio] Barrera. I just like boxers.
AW - As you say, you’re not one of the most known guys but you’re making your way through. Do you have a message for the lightweight division?
TC – They know I’m coming. I might not be as known but they know about me. They see it.
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