“You’re a Boxer, He’s a Fighter” – Conor McGregor and MMA Fans Unite to Support Ilia Topuria After Terence Crawford Shames First Career Loss

Boxing legend Terence Crawford reignites rivalry with Ilia Topuria after the Spaniard's disappointing show at UFC Freedom 250.

“You’re a Boxer, He’s a Fighter” – Conor McGregor and MMA Fans Unite to Support Ilia Topuria After Terence Crawford Shames First Career Loss

Conor McGregor defends Ilia Topuria after Terence Crawford trolls him (via CBS Sports, talkSPORT)

Ilia Topuria entered UFC Freedom 250 as the undefeated lightweight champion and one of the UFC’s biggest stars. However, the Spanish-Georgian superstar suffered a brutal corner stoppage loss to Justin Gaethje in the main event, losing both his title and unbeaten record. The result quickly became a major talking point, with boxing superstar Terence Crawford revisiting his rivalry with a wounded Topuria.

Topuria faced Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout and entered as the betting favorite. However, that was not the case on the White House South Lawn, where the American star delivered a dominant performance against the champion. Topuria looked unrecognizable as damage accumulated before his corner stopped the fight after the fourth round, crowning Gaethje the new lightweight champion.

In the buildup to UFC Freedom 250, Topuria was highly confident about defeating Gaethje and retaining the title. The champion repeatedly expressed that belief during press conferences and interviews throughout fight week. He also hosted a victory party a day before the event, drawing criticism from many observers. Following the loss, ‘Bud’ also took aim at Topuria over his performance against Gaethje.

This the guy that said he would knock me out and whoop me and Shakur at the same time?

Terence Crawford via X

This was largely fueled by Topuria’s previous comments about Crawford, with the UFC star openly calling for a crossover superfight. ‘El Matador’ had even claimed he could defeat the boxing great in the squared circle. Crawford later dismissed those remarks and suggested Topuria was under the influence when making them, referencing the Spaniard’s past admissions about drinking wine during fight preparations.

Another name mentioned in Crawford’s comments was Shakur Stevenson. The undefeated boxer was among the first prominent figures to respond to Topuria’s challenge toward Crawford, dismissing the proposed matchup and labeling the callout as unrealistic. However, Topuria recently reignited that rivalry by stating his desire to face Stevenson in a boxing match and silence his criticism once and for all.

Before UFC Freedom 250, Ilia Topuria was widely viewed as one of the UFC’s most dominant champions, with ambitions of testing himself against elite boxing opposition. That goal now appears more distant following his first professional defeat and the damage he absorbed against Gaethje. As the Spanish-Georgian star recovers, Terence Crawford’s comments carry added weight in the aftermath of the loss

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MMA community bashes Terence Crawford’s demeaning comments towards Ilia Topuria

Conor McGregor and Ilia Topuria have been at odds in recent years, trading verbal shots as Topuria climbed the UFC ranks. Their feud intensified after Topuria publicly targeted the former two-division Irish champion and expressed interest in fighting him. However, despite that history, McGregor recently came to Topuria’s defense following Terence Crawford’s comments about the Spaniard’s loss to Justin Gaethje.

What are you saying? You can wrestle yet you are afraid of an mma fight. That to me is pitiful. The kid was beaten in an mma fight, of which you don’t have the courage for. What the was with all these little boxers at this show yet no MMA fighters?

Conor McGregor via X
Ilia Topuria with brother Aleksandre Topuria after UFC Freedom 250
Ilia Topuria with brother Aleksandre Topuria after UFC Freedom 250 (via The Independent)

Crawford’s remarks also sparked backlash from sections of the MMA community, with many fans criticizing the boxing star for targeting Topuria after his first professional defeat. Several argued that ‘El Matador’ had already accomplished enough inside the UFC to earn respect regardless of the result. Others pointed to the challenges of competing in MMA compared to discussing hypothetical bouts.

Many fans also pointed out that MMA fighters have often ventured into boxing, while boxers rarely transition to MMA because of its broader skill set.

They noted that ‘El Matador’ has competed at the highest level while mastering multiple disciplines. As a result, many argued that Terence Crawford’s criticism overlooked the challenges MMA fighters face compared to those competing in a single discipline.

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