Terence Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence "Bud" Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Julius Indongo (left) is knocked down in the second round by Terence Crawford in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford displays his title belts after beating Julius Indongo at Pinnacle Bank Arena in August 2017. Crawford successfully defended his WBO welterweight title against Shawn Porter on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Like a total eclipse, Terence Crawford's victory to become the undefeated, undisputed 140-pound boxing champion was quick and memorable.
It was so fast and so loud before 12,121 fans Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena, Crawford said he felt like it was over too quick.
"I feel great and I feel like I hardly even fought," said "Bud" Crawford, now the only undisputed boxing champion in the world.
Crawford landed a right hook and followed with a booming left to the body of Julius Indongo to score a knockout early in the third round and add delirium to the frenzied crowd that started cheering when TV screens showed the Omahan warming up while wearing a No. 140 Husker football jersey.
Crawford gave Lincoln its biggest title fight ever and drew the biggest boxing crowd in Lincoln history — 12,121 fans — and the tantalized the eyes of an international television audience.
He blanked Indongo at 38 seconds into the third round with a flurry of body punches that gave Crawford boxing history.
"I knew we'd have some openings because he swings wild and there'd be a place to get to his body," Crawford said. "We worked on that — going to the body and I wasn't surprised I could get in there and knock him down."
While on laying on the canvas, Indongo said he couldn't breathe.
"It hurts so bad," he said.
The 29-year-old Crawford grabbed all four titles at 140 pounds (junior welterweight) with the victory over Indongo. Both fighters had two championship belts and Crawford added the WBA and IBF titles that the native of Namibia won in surprising fashion in the last year.
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"My goal from the start was to unify all the belts and now that I've done that I want to move up (to 147)," Crawford said. He added the WBA and IBF belts to his titles in the WBO and WBC he won during his nine previous title fights.
But he wants more.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford (left) connects with the punch that puts Julius Indongo down for the count in the third round of their Junior Welterweight World Title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Julius Indongo (left) takes a punch to the head from Terence Crawford in the first round of their 140-pound world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Mike Alvarado (right) lands a shot to the jaw of Sidney Siqueira during their junior welterweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Kevin Ventura (right) of Omaha lands a punch on Baltazar Ramirez during their super featherweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Mike Alvarado has his arm raised in victory after knocking out Sidney Siqueira in a junior welterweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
David Paz (right) lands a punch on the nose of Shakur Stevenson during their super featherweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Craig Baker (right) tries to block a punch by Oleksandr Govzdyk during their light heavyweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Julius Indongo (left) is knocked down in the second round by Terence Crawford in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Terence "Bud" Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017.
Terence Crawford displays his title belts after beating Julius Indongo at Pinnacle Bank Arena in August 2017. Crawford successfully defended his WBO welterweight title against Shawn Porter on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Terence Crawford arrives for his junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena wearing a Nebraska No. 140 jersey on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
With ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard looking on, Terence Crawford (right) poses with his championship belts after knocking out Julius Indongo in the third round of their 140-pound world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017. Crawford defended his welterweight title Saturday night with a sixth-round TKO of Amir Khan in Madison Square Garden.
Photos: Crawford, Lincoln crowd pack a punch at PBA
Terecne "Bud" Crawford and Julius Indongo met on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in a four-belt unification title fight to become the undisputed and undefeated junior welterweight champion of the world.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford (left) connects with the punch that puts Julius Indongo down for the count in the third round of their Junior Welterweight World Title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Julius Indongo (left) takes a punch to the head from Terence Crawford in the first round of their 140-pound world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Championship fight night at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Rob Frankel (left) and Michael Reed mix it up in a super lightweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Mike Alvarado (right) lands a shot to the jaw of Sidney Siqueira during their junior welterweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Kevin Ventura (right) of Omaha lands a punch on Baltazar Ramirez during their super featherweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Mike Alvarado has his arm raised in victory after knocking out Sidney Siqueira in a junior welterweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
David Paz (right) lands a punch on the nose of Shakur Stevenson during their super featherweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
David Paz and Shakur Stevenson battle in a super featherweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Craig Baker and Oleksander Gvozdyk battle in a light heavyweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Shakur Stevenson's corner men work on him during his super featherweight fight with David Paz at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Craig Baker (right) tries to block a punch by Oleksandr Govzdyk during their light heavyweight fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Julius Indongo (left) is knocked down in the second round by Terence Crawford in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Terence "Bud" Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
GWYNETH ROBERTS, Journal Star
Terence Crawford makes his entrance for the junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star file photo
Terence Crawford displays his title belts after beating Julius Indongo at Pinnacle Bank Arena in August 2017. Crawford successfully defended his WBO welterweight title against Shawn Porter on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford arrives for his junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena wearing a Nebraska No. 140 jersey on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Lincoln Fight Night, 8/19/17
FRANCIS GARDLER, Journal Star
Terence Crawford (left) delivers the punch that put Julius Indongo down for the count in title fight at 140 pounds Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
FG170819050
FRANCIS GARDLER JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO
With ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard looking on, Terence Crawford (right) poses with his championship belts after knocking out Julius Indongo in the third round of their 140-pound world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017. Crawford defended his welterweight title Saturday night with a sixth-round TKO of Amir Khan in Madison Square Garden.
Moving up could be bigger venues, bigger bouts and possibly his dream of fighting in Nebraska's Memorial Stadium.
"I dreamed of fighting in Omaha, my hometown, and I made it happen to fight in Lincoln in this place, where I wanted to fight, why not bigger," Crawford said.
"The crowd was great — so loud and so supportive. Anything is possible."
Crawford gave the packed house more to celebrate when he stepped into the ring and started pounding on previously unbeaten Indongo, who had stunned other title holders in Scotland and Russia to grab the belts.
Crawford became the first boxer to hold the "undisputed" title in the world in 12 years, improved to 32-0 with a 10-0 record in title fights.
Oleksandr Gvozdyk dominated and ended the NABF and NABO light heavyweight title fight in the final warm-up before the Crawford fight.
Gvozdyk (14-0) tapped Craig Baker's chin twice, sending him to the canvas, and the referee stepped into stop the bout in the sixth round.
In earlier bouts, Omahan Kevin Ventura scored a third-round knockout over Baltazar Ramirez to improve to 7-0 at 133 pounds; Omahan Steve Nelson, 9-0, scored a unanimous decision over Cesar Ruiz at 175 (light heavyweight) and 20-year-old Shakur Stevenson scored a unanimous decision over David Paz.
Terence "Bud" Crawford celebrates his third-round knockout of Julius Indongo in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2017.
Julius Indongo (left) is knocked down in the second round by Terence Crawford in their junior welterweight world title fight at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017.
Terence Crawford displays his title belts after beating Julius Indongo at Pinnacle Bank Arena in August 2017. Crawford successfully defended his WBO welterweight title against Shawn Porter on Saturday in Las Vegas.