Undefeated Terence “Bud” Crawford, Omaha’s favorite son, will make an encore hometown appearance on the heels of his wildly successful victory over previously undefeated Yuriorkis Gamboa. Crawford will face Ray Beltran on Thanksgiving weekend, Saturday, November 29, at the CenturyLink Center. Crawford vs. Beltran will be for the vacant ProBoxing-Fans.com Lightweight Championship.
The press conference was held today, and right here you can find the quotes and photos, along with ticket information, going on sale Friday. The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Reserved seat tickets start at just $27, with remaining tiers priced at $52, $77 and $127. They will be available for purchase at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and Ticketmaster
Crawford successfully defended his title on June 28, at the CenturyLink Center, knocking out previously undefeated world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in front of an energized crowd. The fight, a candidate for Fight of the Year honors, was televised live on HBO®, and according to Nielsen Media Research, garnered an average audience of 1.208 million viewers to the live, first-time airing, making it the second most-watched fight of the year so far. Crawford vs. Gamboa was the first world championship fight the city of Omaha had hosted in 42 years when Joe Frazier defended his World Heavyweight Championship crown against Ron Stander in 1972.
Terence Crawford Quotes
“It’s an honor to fight in my hometown during the holiday season in front of my fans and family who will be traveling to Omaha.
“It’s great that Top Rank and HBO are coming back into town to promote another show on one of the biggest weekends of the year. Beltran feels I have something – a world title belt – which belongs to him.
“He thought he beat Ricky Burns and I thought Beltran won too. But he didn’t and I did. Beltran can fight. We know that. I am going to fight him like a bad dog, fight fire with fire. Let’s see if he really has a will to win in Omaha. My will to win is off the charts.
“He won’t be coming straight at me the way he did against Ricky Burns. My team and I are training hard to put on a good show for everyone. No one will be disappointed.”
Raymundo Beltran Quotes
“Crawford has shown to be a talented fighter, someone I respect.
“But I see this fight as an opportunity for me to achieve the recognition in the boxing world and the public’s eye. This fight is Champion vs. Champion. It’s not about the belts. It’s about us.
“Crawford is talented, has skill, but I have the ability to adapt and will be ready for what he brings. The situation against Burns made me stronger, I felt the love of the crowd and all of their respect that night. I feel blessed with my family and friends.
“All of that will be with me when I fight Crawford in Omaha. I am the No. 2 fighter in the world. Crawford is No. 1. That is what this is all about. I believe in me. This is my moment.”
“This fight between Crawford and Beltran could very well be the fight of the year. The styles and skills of both fighters guarantee as much,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum.
“When Terence Crawford fought in front of his Omaha hometown crowd last June, the atmosphere produced one of the most spectacular fights of 2014 on HBO,” said Peter Nelson, vice president, programming, HBO Sports. “The spotlight returns to the American heartland November 29, as the undefeated champ faces Ray Beltran, a challenger who has earned more opportunities than he’s been given and always gives the fans his all.”
“CenturyLink Center Omaha is honored to have the opportunity once again to host this world championship boxing event,” said Roger Dixon, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority. “The atmosphere was electric in June and we expect even more excitement this time around.”
