Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Terence Crawford vs. Ilia Topuria? UFC Champion Explains Why He Wants the Fight – Terence Crawford Rejects it as ‘Clout-chase’

UFC champ Topuria calls out Crawford, who dismisses fight talks. Everything about it.

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Ilia Topuria publicly threw down the gauntlet after Terence Crawford’s seismic win over Canelo Alvarez, saying he would “put Crawford to sleep” if the two met in a boxing ring. However, the 42-0 undisputed champion isn’t entertaining the callout. At the postfight press conference, he dismissed Topuria as “drunk.” Crawford’s Las Vegas triumph vaulted him into modern-era history as an undisputed titlist in three weight classes, and the bout’s fallout included both retirement chatter and a fresh, cross-discipline provocation from the UFC’s knockout artist.

Ilia Topuria continues to call out Terence Crawford pic.twitter.com/Rc3DdUm5qp
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 16, 2025

Why Topuria Wants to Fight Crawford

Topuria, 28, has built a reputation as one of MMA’s most ruthless finishers, capturing featherweight and lightweight titles with highlight-reel knockouts. Most recently, Topuria said in the New Economic Forum in Madrid that, “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for me to answer what my next step is. First I wanted to be a world champion, then beat another legend in the division, and then i set a goal to move up in weight and become a double world champion. Now what? I don’t know, maybe a boxing match. I want the best. The best pound-for-pound is Terrence Crawford, so I want to go for him.”

Ilia Topuria explains why he wants to go into boxing 🥊 and fight Terence Crawford

"It's becoming increasingly difficult for me to answer what my next step is. First, I wanted to be a world champion, then beat another legend in the division, and then I set a goal to move up in… pic.twitter.com/yejOAV05t4
— MMA Pros Pick (@MMA_PROS_PICK_) September 16, 2025

For him, chasing Crawford is about proving his power translates across combat sports, raising his star power, and responding to what he views as disrespect. He took exception to Crawford’s ring-walk on Saturday night to “Cancion del Mariachi,” a track Topuria has long used for his own Octagon entrances. “First he calls me drunk, then he walks out to MY song,” Topuria posted on X. “Crawford, whenever you want, I’ll teach you how to dance that mariachi in the ring. And Canelo, I’ll save you a round after him.”

Now, given the lucrative history of UFC-boxing crossovers, most famously Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor, Topuria sees an opportunity to cash in while building his reputation beyond MMA.

First he calls me drunk… then he walks out to MY song. Crawford, whenever you want, I’ll teach you how to dance that mariachi in the ring. And Canelo, I’ll save you a round after him.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 14, 2025

Crawford Brushes It Off

Crawford recently doubled down during an appearance on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show.’ “I definitely think he’s trying to clout-chase,” Crawford said. “I definitely think he would get in the ring with me for the fight check. That’s what we all do it for, but at the same time, I don’t know what the f— he’s doing. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I would — there ain’t even nothing to talk about.”

Crawford also called out Topuria’s behavior in person versus online. “When he saw me at the UFC, he came up to shake my hand and say what’s up to me. I ain’t even know who he was,” Crawford recalled. “But then I see him online talking about how he’ll knock me out in the first round. If you wanted to fight me, you had the opportunity to tell me… That’s fake.”

Terence Crawford fires back at Ilia Topuria:

"When he saw me at the UFC and came up to shake my hand and said what's up to me… I didn't even know who he was. Then I see him online talking about how he'll knock me out in the first round… That's fake. I'm not gonna go hide… pic.twitter.com/ausGr3Oulg
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 15, 2025

No McGregor Comparison

Crawford snapped at comparisons to McGregor’s 2017 spectacle with Mayweather. “What money would I get out of fighting him? Tell me how much I’m going to get,” Crawford said. “He’s nowhere near on the level of Conor McGregor. Let’s be real. Stop it. Don’t even compare him to Conor.”

He admitted he hasn’t even seen Topuria fight. “Maybe I’m slipping. Maybe he’s a good fighter. I don’t know. But I’ve honestly never seen this guy fight,” Crawford said. “Don’t ever try to say they’re on the same level.”

Terence Crawford shuts the door on boxing “fake” UFC champ Ilia Topuria ✌️ pic.twitter.com/6UR6ghJdxF
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) September 15, 2025

At the moment, Crawford seems more focused on either retirement or legacy-defining boxing bouts. But with Topuria doubling down and the allure of crossover paydays looming, the storyline isn’t going away anytime soon.

Mandatory Image Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Ilia Topuria

Terence Crawford

UFC

Rudra Dubey

nfl

mma

I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.