Shakur Stevenson has weighed in on how a hypothetical prime-for-prime matchup between Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford would play out, analyzing the stylistic differences between the two all-time greats.
There are clear parallels between the legends—both retired as undefeated five-division world champions. Yet their extraordinary skills, while somewhat comparable, proved most effective against different types of opponents.
Some observers note that Mayweather occasionally struggled against southpaws early in his career. Given Crawford’s ability to switch stances seamlessly, it’s tempting to think he would have troubled his fellow American. However, “Bud” has also shown moments of complacency, most notably against Yuriorkis Gamboa and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.
Although Crawford stopped both men, he had to overcome Gamboa’s slick style and get off the canvas—in what was ultimately ruled a no-knockdown—against “Mean Machine.” Based on those performances and Mayweather’s reported difficulty with left-handers, Stevenson told *The Agnew Podcast* that picking a winner at welterweight is nearly impossible.
“It’s just hard to say. With both of them guys, they different. I think Floyd, early on in his career, he struggled with southpaws,” Stevenson said. “I feel like ‘Bud’ is gonna be a southpaw and probably the best southpaw he’s ever [come up] against. But then I’ve seen ‘Bud’ have little issues with guys like ‘Mean Machine’, who was orthodox, and Gamboa was winning some rounds. It’s a 50/50 thing [with Mayweather and Crawford] – you just never know who would come in on-point and win that fight.”
While Stevenson highlights Mayweather’s history against southpaws as a potential weakness, it’s worth noting that against Manny Pacquiao—a naturally aggressive lefty—the American delivered a 12-round masterclass.
