Terence Crawford vs. Viktor Postol: Preview and Prediction for Title Fight

One of the biggest fights of the year takes place Saturday night in Las Vegas, when WBO super lightweight champion Terence Crawford faces WBC champ Viktor Postol in a unification bout. Both men are undefeated. 

Crawford has emerged as a potential pound-for-pound star over the past two years. Postol showed similar promise when he became a champion last year. 

This fight will establish the clear-cut king at 140 pounds. The winner will have to be regarded as a top-10 pound-for-pound fighter, as well. 

Both of these fighters have entered the ring 28 times as professionals, and it's always ended with their hands raised in victory. Barring a draw, somebody will lose for the first time Saturday. 

Postol is tall and long for a super lightweight. Crawford is relatively big for the division, as well. 

Crawford lists as an orthodox fighter, but he switches to a southpaw stance often and is just as effective from that side. 

Postol lives now in Los Angeles but is a native of Ukraine. 

In 2014, Terence Crawford emerged as a true star, winning the lightweight title from Ricky Burns and knocking out the previously unbeaten Yuriorkis Gamboa. He was named the Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. 

In April 2015, Crawford became a two-division world champion when he knocked out Thomas Dulorme. He stopped Dierry Jean in October of that year and Hank Lundy last February. He has made it a habit to beat good fighters with startling ease.

Viktor Postol recorded one of the biggest knockouts of 2015, when he stopped the highly regarded Lucas Matthysse in October to capture the vacant WBC title at 140 pounds.

Postol had a nice amateur career in his native Ukraine but has developed into a top professional fighter while training with Freddie Roach in the United States. In recent years, he has begun to show an impressive ability to sit down on his punches and generate dangerous power.

This is exactly the kind of fight that boxing needs. Crawford and Postol are without question the top two fighters in the world at 140 pounds. It's refreshing to see them searching each other out for a showdown.   

Terence Crawford is an extremely well-rounded boxer. He has speed, power and high-level technical skill. He's also an intelligent and patient ring general who makes great mid-fight adjustments. 

Crawford's ability to switch stances and fight equally well from both a southpaw and an orthodox stance makes him a tough opponent to keep up with. 

Viktor Postol has great length for a super lightweight, and he has the technical expertise to exploit it. He has a good jab and lateral movement. 

In recent fights, Postol has also begun to show improved power. He's got a classic puncher's build and appears to be sitting down better on his punches.

Terence Crawford has shown little in the way of weakness as a professional. He's got a different kind of challenge in this fight, though, as he faces an opponent with a definite advantage in length. 

Viktor Postol fights to his strengths, maximizing his length and reach. But he can be a bit careless about returning his jab hand to good defensive position.

He's never faced an opponent with the technical ability or athleticism of Terence Crawford. This a big move up in competition for him.  

The big challenge for Terence Crawford in this fight is dealing with an opponent who has an advantage in reach. He's going to want to take advantage of his own edge in speed in order to get off first with his punches and work his way inside of Postol's range. 

Crawford frequently switches his stance and fights as a southpaw. That will be a good strategy to employ in this fight, as it will make it easier to see Postol's straight right hand coming.

Fighting in a southpaw stance will also give Crawford the opportunity to throw a lead right hook over the top of Postol's left jab. That could end up being a critical punch for Crawford in this bout. 

At close range, Crawford should fight with aggression. He wants to push the taller man onto his back foot. He should also pound away at Postol's torso. 

Viktor Postol needs to maximize his length in this bout. He's got to fight tall and use his jab and movement to keep Terence Crawford at the edge of his reach, in position for the straight right hand. 

Postol needs to use his movement, but he cannot hesitate to sit down on his punches to generate power, even if that means taking the risk of being in position for Crawford's return shots. The Ukrainian has no chance in this fight if he can't force Crawford to respect his power. 

Postol has to be prepared to fight a southpaw. Crawford switches often and is likely to do so Saturday night. Postol needs to make sure he's returning his jab hand to good defensive position, especially when Crawford is fighting in a left-handed stance. 

There is a reason that Terence Crawford and Viktor Postol are both undefeated champions. Both men have turned in outstanding performances in recent years, against top contenders. 

Postol should be the toughest opponent Crawford has ever faced. He's a smart tactician with an imposing frame. 

But Crawford has the edge in pure athleticism and probably in ring intelligence, as well. He has more experience against high-level competition. 

Postol is a talented and worthy champion, but Crawford is something special. He'll study the longer man early and take control of the fight in the middle rounds. Crawford's controlled aggression will allow him to punish Postol and stop the Ukrainian sometime after Round 10. 

If I'm right and Crawford wins this fight, there will be little left for him but to move to full welterweight. The 147-pound division is always packed with young talent, and that is definitely true right now. But Crawford has the ability to compete with anybody there.