Boxing champion Terence Crawford has made it clear that his sons won’t be following in his footsteps into the ring, despite their desire and apparent talent for the sport. In a candid interview on Ring Champs with Ak & Barak, Crawford revealed the firm stance he’s taken on his children’s boxing aspirations.
“They been want to box. But they know,” Crawford stated matter-of-factly when asked about his sons’ interest in boxing. “They don’t need the boxes. They don’t need the box.” His reasoning is straightforward: “it’s not always for money when you already have it.”
The undefeated welterweight champion acknowledges that his sons have shown promise in the sport, admitting “they cold” when it comes to their boxing abilities. However, Crawford sees no point in allowing them to pursue amateur boxing either, viewing it as unnecessarily cruel.
“Why should I let my son fight amateur when that’s like teasing him? So he win all these tournaments. He fall in love with the sport. Then what?”
Crawford’s perspective differs from other boxing fathers who have encouraged their children’s involvement in the sport. When presented with the example of another fighter who recognized his son’s God-given talent at six years old, Crawford remained unmoved. “I’m not robbing him. I’m his father. I’m going to tell him what he what he need to do,” he insisted.
The champion did acknowledge a potential future scenario where his stance might be tested. When asked what would happen if one of his sons, upon turning 18, declared independence and demanded to box anyway, Crawford admitted he would ultimately support them. “I would help him. But I just, I’d be against it,” he said, recognizing that “it’s late then” to change their minds as adults.
Crawford’s protective instincts extend beyond just boxing. Throughout the interview, he emphasized his role as a leader and disciplinarian, though he acknowledged that parenting has become more challenging in the modern era. “I was always a leader,” he reflected, describing how he chose the gym over partying with friends who were smoking and drinking.
His advice to all his children remains consistent: “Be yourself” and “Be a leader, not a follower.”
