Terence Crawford’s mom paid kids to beat him up because she thought it would help him become the pound-for-pound boxing sensation he is today
- Terence Crawford’s mother Debra paid other children $10 to beat him up as a child
- Debra refused to hug, kiss, or tell Crawford she loved him as a little boy
- Fans said Errol Spence didn’t stand a chance against someone going through that
Terence Crawford’s mother paid kids to beat him up and punished the superstar with a leather belt during his childhood – insisting it made him the success he is today.
Crawford’s mother, Debra, had an unorthodox approach to parenting, paying children in the local community $10 (£8) each to fight her son in the street.
She also undermined Crawford’s performance in the ring, refusing to tell her son that she loved him or that she was proud of him.
The 35-year-old’s mother also admitted that she “hit him with a belt” and “tricked him” into the pound-for-pound sensation it is today.
As it stands, Crawford holds a professional record of 40-0 after defeating Errol Spence to claim the undisputed welterweight crown.
Terence Crawford’s mother paid people to beat him up and punished the superstar with a leather belt during his childhood – insisting it made him the success he is today
Crawford’s mother, Debra, also undermined his in-ring performance, refusing to tell her son she loved him or was proud of him.
As it stands, Crawford holds a professional record of 40-0 after defeating Errol Spence to claim the undisputed welterweight crown
After last month’s fight, Crawford said he plans to leave the sport soon. However, he insists there are some big nights ahead of him before then.
Crawford – currently chasing a blockbuster showdown with undisputed super welterweight (154lb) champion Jermell Charlo – has cemented his place in history.
He has become one of the most successful names in the sport, with fans around the world singing his praises.
However, it took some time for his mother to appreciate his achievements. Instead, she has belittled Crawford’s career and refused to show him affection.
Speaking to ESPN in 2018, Crawford’s mother said: “If Bud was bad, someone would come and tell me and I would go grab him and take him home and give him ass, with a leash.
“Some of the things I said to him then was to let him become a man and not be afraid of anyone. It was a hard lesson, but he had to learn it.
“I told the kids I’d give them ten bucks each to anyone who could give Bud a shout, but no one could do it.”
She ended by saying, “I never told him ‘I love you’, I never liked it as a kid, I never liked hugs or kisses and it grew with me.”
Crawford said his mother’s parenting style infuriated him when he was younger and would spend his time proving her wrong.
The boxing star said, “Everything I did, whether it was in the ring or not, I wanted to win to prove a point to my mother, because she would tell me that I’m going to make fun of me and that I wasn’t . good enough.
“It filled me with rage and every time I stepped in the ring I was so eager to win that I could prove a point to her.
Fans have taken to social media to say that Debra’s parenting style was brutal and that Spence didn’t stand a chance against a man with such a challenging childhood
It was a dominant display from Crawford and fellow American Spence was penalized
Despite such controlled brutality, a bloodied Spence hit the deck three times before being restrained to his feet
“I got kicked out of school and did bad things, but being called names made me immune to pain. I was always in trouble, so I was always called names, but at some point I became numb to it.”
Fans have taken to social media to say that Debra’s parenting style was brutal and that Spence didn’t stand a chance against a man with such a challenging childhood.
For nine rounds at the T-Mobile Arena, Crawford gave the leading welterweight of the past half a decade an absolute beating.
Despite such controlled brutality, a bloodied Spence hit the deck three times before being restrained to his feet.