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Crawford to face 'Mean Machine' Kavaliauskas at MSG on Dec. 14

Eric Francis / Getty Images

Undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford will return to the ring to make the mandatory defense of his world title against the "Mean Machine," Egidijus Kavaliauskas, in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden.

Crawford made the announcement himself in a video posted to Top Rank Boxing's Twitter account.

"Terence Crawford is a generational talent, but he'll have his hands full against the 'Mean Machine,'" Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said, according to ESPN's Dan Rafael.

This will be Crawford's third 147-pound title defense since moving up in weight in 2018.

Kavaliauskas enters the fight undefeated in 22 bouts, with one draw and 17 knockouts.

"I have prepared my whole boxing career for a fight of this magnitude," Kavaliauskas said. "Terence Crawford is an excellent fighter, but I fear no man. Nobody has seen the best of the 'Mean Machine' yet. I am going to shock a lot of people on Dec. 14, but it won't be a surprise to me. I earned this title shot. It is my time."

Crawford-Kavaliauskas will act as the headliner of a tripleheader at MSG. Undercard fights include world lightweight champion Richard Commey defending his title against Teofimo Lopez Jr., along with an Olympic rematch between featherweights Michael Conlan and Vladimir Nikitin.

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