Though he’s at the tail end of his career, Terence Crawford has set several lofty goals. Amongst them, of course, is an undisputed showdown against current unified champion, Errol Spence Jr.

Should the WBO trinket holder truncate Spence’s title reign, his next objective would be to move on from the 147-pound division and campaign as a full-fledged junior middleweight. His primary goal, ultimately, would be to strip Jermell Charlo of his WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles.

Charlo, unsurprisingly, has berated Crawford for his ambitions. While the two have continued to go back and forth in the public eye, a lightbulb has flickered on in the mind of Crawford.

At times, the Omaha, Nebraska, native has wondered exactly why Charlo comes across as acrimonious. However, after giving it much thought, Crawford believes he’s figured out why his 154-pound rival is a bit pugnacious.  

“Jermell Charlo gotta understand, he’s undisputed, he did what he’s done in the sport of boxing but he’s not on my level,” said Crawford on The Last Stand Podcast. “Nor Errol Spence level. I think that makes him mad and jealous.”

Ostensibly on the verge of pursuing his first goal, both Crawford and Spence seemed to be on a collision course that would take place before the end of the year. Nevertheless, their mega showdown was flushed down the proverbial toilet as negotiations broke down.

Now, much to the vexation of boxing fans, Crawford will take on fringe contender, David Avanesyan. Still, even with the 35-year-old opting to go in another direction, he recently revealed that he remains optimistic that a matchup between himself and Spence will eventually materialize. If, however, obstacles remain, Crawford discloses that he’ll have no problem leaving team Spence in the rearview mirror for good.

“I hope so," said Crawford when asked if he expects to face Spence next year. "But if not, it is what it is. I wish him the best in his career and I’m going to continue to do what I do in my career.”