Terence Crawford has flatly denied reports of a fight offer against Conor McGregor, but his own past comments tell a different story.
What did Terence Crawford say about the McGregor fight offer?
Crawford told reporters on 12 July 2026 that no formal offer ever came for a bout with McGregor. “There was never an offer,” he said. “I don’t know where that came from.” His denial contradicts multiple interviews from 2024 and early 2025 where he discussed the possibility in detail.
Why do his past interviews contradict his latest claim?
In a 2024 interview with ESPN, Crawford called a fight with McGregor “a big money fight” and said promoters had approached him about it. He even joked about McGregor’s trash talk, saying: “He’s all talk until he gets in the ring.” In another clip from January 2025, he told TMZ Sports he was “open” to facing McGregor if the money was right.
What’s next for Terence Crawford’s career?
Crawford remains focused on defending his undisputed welterweight title. His next fight is scheduled for 20 September 2026 against a top-5 contender, though he hasn’t named the opponent yet. Promoters are pushing for a unification clash with Unified Lightweight Champion Teófimo López, but no deal is in place.
Could a McGregor fight still happen despite his denial?
McGregor’s team has not commented since Crawford’s latest remarks. Promoters like Bob Arum have previously floated the idea, calling it “the biggest fight in boxing history.” Crawford’s camp insists he’s not avoiding the fight, but wants bigger purses from traditional marquee matchups first.
Crawford, 38, is 42-0 with 33 knockouts. He unified the welterweight division in 2023 and has defended his titles twice since then.