Our Simon Crawford is backing Terence Crawford to unify the 140lbs division when he fights Julius Indongo this weekend.
Recommended bets: Terence Crawford v Julius Indongo
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In many ways this is the perfect fight ... two champions who hold all the titles at 140lbs putting it all on the line in a winner-takes-all battle this weekend in the Nebraskan city of Lincoln, USA.
It's such a pity that it is ultimately destined to be overshadowed by the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor fiasco next weekend in Las Vegas, but for the boxing purist this really is a must-see fight.
Terence Crawford will put his WBC, WBO, The Ring and lineal light-welterweight titles on the line against WBA, IBO and IBF champion Julius Indongo.
The winner will become the first undisputed champion at 140lbs since 2004 and you could not have asked for a bigger clash of styles as both fighters put their unbeaten records on the line.
Crawford (31-0, 22KOs) would be in my top-three current pound-for-pound best fighters all day long.
The 29-year-old appears to have no obvious weaknesses. He has great footwork, a tight defence, a solid chin, fast hands, a 71 per cent knockout ratio and the ability to switch from orthodox to southpaw with effortless ease.
Up against him will be 34-year-old Namibian Indongo (22-0, 11Os) who will have both height and reach advantages.
However, very little was known about him until he went to Moscow and stopped home favourite Eduard Troyanovsky in 40 seconds to land the IBF strap in March 2016.
The southpaw then travelled to Glasgow back in April to take on WBA champion Ricky Burns who admitted after the fight he had underestimated Indongo due to the lack of available footage.
It proved costly as Indongo took a wide points win (120-108, 118-100, 116-112) and there was no doubt he totally outclassed the experienced Scot.
If any one had thought the Troyanovsky victory was a fluke, then this was an emphatic way to answer them.
Indongo may start as the underdog, but he is relishing the tag.
"I'm under no pressure at all," Indongo said.
"I'm going to Nebraska, USA, to wrestle those titles away from Crawford and it does not bother me that I'm going into his own backyard.
"As a team, we have a strategy and perfect game plan for Crawford, so I'm really not concerned with what my opponent has in store for me or the pressure of fighting in the States."
Crawford seems to have everything in his favour including experience and home advantage, yet he is still very respectful of the threat Indongo poses.
"Julius Indongo is a champion with a lot of confidence right now," Crawford said.
"He's a bigger threat now than at any other time because he has all the confidence in the world.
"He went over to Russia and took the title from Eduard Troyanovsky and then went to Scotland and took Ricky Burns' title."
When talking about boxing, the word levels is used frequently and I feel it is so very pertinent when talking about this particular encounter.
You can only heap praise on Indongo for his wins over Troyanovsky and Burns. I was ringside for the Burns fight and the Scot struggled to lay a glove on him.
But with all due respect to Troyanovsky and Burns, Crawford is levels above them both and I think class will prove to be the difference.
If there is one slight chink in the Crawford armour, then it's the fact he can start slowly but once into his stride I see him bossing this fight, even against a taller, awkward southpaw with greater reach.
'Bud' can easily switch himself to negate the natural lefty and I see him being able to get off his fast combinations before getting back out of range.
Indongo is tough and will have his moments so I expect him to hear the final bell, but I feel Crawford will run out a big winner on the cards which can easily be backed at 6/4.
Where to watch: Sky Sports Main Event
Posted at 1800 BST on 17/08/17
Related links
Sky Bet's Crawford v Indongo odds
All the latest ahead of Mayweather v McGregor
