Terence Crawford vs. Ilia Topuria isn’t far-fetched, says UFC Hall of Famer

Terence Crawford vs. Ilia Topuria doesn’t seem like a matchup UFC CEO Dana White would want to book, or is it?

Crawford dazzled boxing fans with his stellar performance against Canelo Alvarez this past Saturday. While the undisputed super middleweight title fight wasn’t necessarily a wipeout, it was clear that “Bud” got the better of a fellow legend in Alvarez. Crawford further cemented his legacy with a unanimous decision victory, improving his perfect pro boxing record to 42-0.

Reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Ilia Topuria was watching closely, and he traded barbs with Crawford after the fight. While “Bud” seems dismissive of such a fight, UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes there’s a chance it could happen. “The Count” explained why in a new video posted on his YouTube channel (via Bloody Elbow).

“Because there will be two fan bases tuning in,” Bisping said. “And that’s what happened with the money fight.

“You’ve got all the boxing fans and then you’ve got all the MMA fans, and, of course, you’ve got Dana White in the middle.

“Dana just did business with Terence Crawford. Ilia is under contract with the UFC. So, it’s not unbelievable to think of a world where this might happen.”

White has been consistent when it comes to his stance on top UFC fighters wanting to try their hand in the sweet science. Aside from a 2017 super fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, White has been against allowing his fighters to dabble in the world of boxing. Perhaps if Topuria can convince White that he could actually defeat Crawford in a boxing match, then things might change. Still, that seems like a steep hill to climb.

Crawford will turn 38 years old on Sept. 28 and if he does fight again, his time in the ring figures to be limited. Members of Crawford’s camp, such as Shakur Stevenson, have already advised “Bud” to retire following his historic victory over Alvarez. As they say in the world of prizefighting, money talks.