The clock has to be ticking.

Terence Crawford isn’t getting any younger. While 33 doesn’t have to be old in boxing, it’s often a sign of autumn for the best at welterweight, especially welterweights who started lower on the scale. Decline eventually begins for anyone who steps in the ring.

It hasn’t happened yet for Crawford. It may not for another year or two. That’s still less time than Crawford had when he entered the welterweight division three years ago. After an impressive run through the lightweight and Jr. welterweight divisions, Crawford for reasons well debated since his arrival at welterweight, hasn’t landed on the sort of fights that can complete the defining of his run in the sport.

Saturday (ESPN, 10 PM EST) Crawford has a notable name across the ring but we won’t know what the physical threat really is until the bell rings. Brook clearly put in the work to make welterweight for the first time since a stoppage loss to Errol Spence in 2017. It doesn’t erase the fact Brook hasn’t won a fight in the division since March 2016.

It is in many ways a no-win proposition for Crawford.

That doesn’t make it any less of a must-win if Crawford is to stay in the hunt for showdowns with the two other major beltholders in his class, Manny Pacquiao (WBA) and Spence (WBC/IBF).

Let’s get into it.

Stats and Stakes

Terence Crawford

Age: 33

Title: WBO welterweight (2018-Present, 3 defenses)

Previous Titles: WBO Lightweight (2014-15, 2 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB/Ring Lightweight (2014-15); WBO Light Welterweight (2015-17, 6 Defenses); Lineal/TBRB/Ring/WBC Jr. welterweight (2016-17, 3 Defenses); WBA Super Lightweight (2017); IBF Jr. Welterweight (2017)

Height: 5’8

Weight: 146 ¼ lbs.

Stance: Orthodox/Southpaw

Hails from: Omaha, Nebraska

Record: 36-0, 25 KO

Press Rankings: #1 (Boxing Monthly), #2 (Ring, BoxRec), #3 (TBRB, ESPN),

Record in Major Title Fights: 14-0, 11 KO

Last Five Opponents: 121-4-2 (.961)

Notable Outcomes, Ring/TBRB Rated Foes: UD12 Ricky Burns; TKO9 Yuriorkis Gamboa; UD12 Ray Beltran; TKO6 Thomas Dulorme; TKO10 Dierry Jean; UD12 Viktor Postol; TKO8 John Molina; RTD10 Felix Diaz; KO3 Julius Indongo; TKO9 Jeff Horn; TKO9 Egidijus Kavaliauskas

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Jose Benavidez TKO12; Amir Khan TKO6

Vs.

Kell Brook

Age: 34

Title: None

Previous Titles: IBF Welterweight (2014-17, 3 Defenses)

Height: 5’9

Weight: 147 lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

Hails from: Sheffield, Lancashire, United Kingdom

Record: 39-2, 27 KO, 2 KOBY

Press Rankings: Unrated

Record in Title Fights: 4-2, 2 KO, 2 KOBY

Last Five Opponents: 134-5 (.964)

Notable Outcomes, Ring/TBRB Rated Foes: Rafal Jackiewicz TKO6; Shawn Porter MD12; Gennady Golovkin TKO by 5; Errol Spence KO by 11

Additional Current/Former Titlists Faced: Lovemore Ndou UD12; Vyacheslav Senchenko TKO4

The Pick: While it’s not an insurmountable challenge to move back down the scale for an older fighter, history says it’s often a fool’s errand. Brook’s length, jab, and willingness to grapple could make for a long night in spots as Brook warms up. Working against him are past struggles with durability. Put aside the losses to Golovkin and Spence, both excellent fighters. There is also the narrow escape against Carson Jones on Brook’s way up the ranks; he’s always had an air of vulnerability but plenty of guts to go with it. This could be his last big opportunity and if he can find something close to the form at welterweight he had with Spence we could have a hell of a fight here.

If remains a hypothetical.

Crawford, who can perform at an elite level from both the southpaw and orthodox stances, enters with seven straight stoppage wins. He was buzzed in his last outing and has been vulnerable occasionally in the early parts of other fights. It creates a look of competition that quickly proves a mirage. He rarely loses more than a couple rounds to anyone. Crawford is more rounded, skilled, and versatile than Brook and he stays more relaxed in the ring. Once he solves the timing of Brook, expect Crawford’s mean streak to emerge. His lackluster run at welterweight aside, once the bell rings there are few fighters in the world more talented than Crawford. He’ll show it again Saturday and he’ll keep showing it until another elite talent turns him back or the clock just runs out.

Tick tock.

Additional Weekend Pick

Joshua Franco Dec. Andrew Moloney

Rold Picks 2020: 25-9

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com