Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series living up to its title, Netflix’s ‘Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford’ chronicles the journey of these titular boxers as they prepare to face one another in the ring. It actually dives into not only their extensive training as well as overall mindset in the months leading up to their match, but also their backgrounds, career highlights, and motivations. Therefore, of course, there is significant mention of undisputed champion Terence “Bud” Crawford’s mother, Debra “Debbie” Crawford, whom he openly credits for all his achievements.
Debra Crawford Has Always Been a Dedicated Family Woman
It was reportedly back in 1965 when Debra Crawford was born in Nebraska into a household full of hope and love, indicating she most probably grew up with close familial relationships. The truth is, the precise details of her early years and experiences are not public knowledge, yet we do know she has faced her fair share of struggles in life, especially upon settling down. According to records, she was relatively young when she tied the knot with Terence Crawford Sr. in an intimate ceremony, following which they chose to make Omaha their home for good.
Debra and Terence eventually welcomed three children into their world, with Terence Jr. being their only son – he was born on September 28, 1987, when his mother was merely 22. Unfortunately, while the five of them were a family in every technical sense, she essentially raised their brood by herself since her husband was rarely home owing to his job as a Navy officer. He was unwaveringly dedicated to his nation, yet the family was still somehow not financially secure as they reportedly struggled to cover even the basic necessities from time to time.
Therefore, the Crawfords resided in a dangerous area known for its crime and violence, with Debra even working full-time at places like the local Campbell’s Soup factory to make ends meet. She was admittedly also really tough on her kids because she wanted them not to get (or stay) involved with the wrong crowds so that they could have a better future with full stability. Many have since deemed her parenting style very controversial, but she stands by it as her thought process was “I’m gonna raise y’all the right way,” so that’s exactly what she did.
Debra Crawford Raised Her Son With Tough Love
Although it’s unclear what parenting practices Debra abided by in terms of her two daughters, Latisha and Shawntay, she was determined to give her son tough love to make him a tough man. She had lost her brother in one of the worst ways imaginable, so she didn’t want to lose her son, too, especially with how he also reminded her of his uncle in his moves once he took up boxing.
In an interview with CBS, Terence admitted that her mom often paid local kids to beat up her son, thinking it would help him further down in life and as a boxer, but no one ever succeeded. “I was hard on him,” the mother of four once candidly told Top Rank in an interview, adding her belief that “I’m the mama, and y’all gonna follow by my rules or y’all can get out.” She continued, “But Bud was a good kid, he got a good heart. He worked hard. He would get up early in the morning. I would be like, ‘Where are you going?’ He was young. He could bleed out there, but he out there running. Running in the snow. Just running. And he used to always say, ‘Mom, I’mma be a millionaire.’”
Debra Crawford is a Proud Mother and Grandmother
Terence has long since fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional boxer and a millionaire, but he has also maintained that he doesn’t believe he would have gotten here if it weren’t for his mother. Yes, Debra’s actions undeniably traumatized him because he was certain at the time that she was completely against him, yet it only made him work harder to prove her wrong. “I was angry, but I feed off of that,” he told ‘CBS Mornings‘ in 2023. He even added, “That’s my mom, and for her to treat me the way that she was treating me, not because of: she didn’t love me. It’s because of what she was dealt with. And… I wouldn’t wish that on no kid.” However, he forgave her.
Terence understood the intentions behind Debra’s behavior as he grew up, enabling him to better deal with the past while also preserving his relationship with her. They are actually really tight-knit as of writing since their bond is now deeply rooted in their unwavering care, love, support, trust, and respect for one another. This is the same kind of connection the mother of three seemingly also shares with her own mother, her sister, her two daughters, her several grandchildren, as well as her husband today. In other words, still residing in Omaha, Nebraska, she remains a wholly dedicated family woman who prefers to be surrounded by loved ones every step of the way. She honestly seems really proud of her brood, so she does her best to be there to support them at every milestone or significant moment of their lives.
Read More: Is Terence “Bud” Crawford Dating? Who is His Partner?
