Jaron Ennis Fully Views and Rates Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford As A 50/50 Fight
Terence Crawford believes he has all the right attributes to pull off a monumental upset win against Canelo Alvarez.
The boxing titans are reportedly finalising a deal for a fight on Mexican Independence Day weekend (September 15) in Las Vegas.
According to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, Crawford will climb two weight classes to fight Canelo at his natural home of super middleweight without a rehydration clause.
Most experts expected there to be some kind of contractual agreement to limit the amount of weight Canelo put on between the weigh-in and fight day given the size disparity between them.
Crawford is the much smaller man having only recently moved up to super welterweight (154lbs) following stints at lightweight (135lbs), super lightweight (140lbs) and welterweight (147lbs).
Meanwhile, Canelo has competed as high as light-heavyweight (175lbs) during his illustrious career.
But Crawford’s trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre insists this won’t be the case, even going as far as to suggest that they didn’t want one.
The confidence is admirable but not unfounded.
Terence Crawford is a generational great and one of only three boxers alongside Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue to become a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era.
If anyone can overcome the odds it is Crawford, who remains undefeated after 41 professional fights.
“I’m the type of guy who likes to feel my fighters out and adjust to what they’re doing.
“I’m looking to do the same come fight time when the Canelo fight happens…
“People say, ‘You’re too small’ or ‘You’re outmatched’ or ‘You don’t belong in the ring with these types of fighters.’
“That’s when great fighters perform their best…
“I’m going to feel great [at 168lbs]. I don’t need to worry about the weight. I know I’m going to feel great.
While no one believes Terence Crawford, who has never fought beyond 154 pounds, can beat Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds, the Mexican’s usual weight.
The Bud has been asking for this fight for months and it seems to be coming true for next September in Las Vegas thanks to the management of Turki Alalshikh.
While Crawford (41-0) has already shown his annoyance with Saul Alvarez (62-2-2), who criticized the level of opponents the Nebraska native has faced in his career, now it is his trainer Brian McIntyre who goes against the Guadalajara native.
The issue is the rehydration clause that Canelo is said to demand of his opponents, which consists of not exceeding a certain weight for the fight after stepping on the scales, a condition that The Bud will not have to meet and will not ask the Mexican even if he is heavier.
We don’t care about that. You can only go up to a certain point and if you go past that, that’s your problem. The first thing that came out of his mouth was that he wants the fight. If Terence has no problem with that, I don’t either”
“That’s bullshit, it’s for wimps. When they say you can’t lift more than that weight… fuck that,” McIntyre told The Ring when asked if they would ask for this clause for the Mexican fighter. “This is boxing. I have the skills, you stepped on the scale, you gave the weight, and no matter how much you come back after. You accepted the fight, so let’s get in the ring and fight like men, it’s that simple.”
Terence Crawford minimizes the weight difference with Saul Alvarez, because it is in this type of demand when great fighters show who they are.
“People say, ‘you’re too small’ or ‘you’re outmatched’ or ‘you shouldn’t be in the ring with this type of fighter’. That’s when great fighters perform at their best,” he told Boxing Scene.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez looks set to welcome Terence Crawford to the super-middleweight ranks this coming September.
Despite Crawford fighting just once at super-welterweight and having to move up a further two divisions for the fight, he is adamant he has the skills to be just the third man to beat Canelo in 66 fights
What makes it an even taller task is that the Mexican has been as high as light-heavyweight on two occasions, the latest a points loss to Dmitry Bivol but his first effort a stoppage win over Sergey Kovalev.
That victory gave Canelo a world title in a fourth weight-class and proved his power and chin to be top level.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Kovalev said that Crawford has the skillset to beat his former opponent but that the 14 pounds of extra weight, should he decide to come in at the 168lbs limit, will be the deciding factor.
“Terence Crawford, great fighter. Huge respect to him. I think he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter. But if he will move up… He can beat Canelo, but I don’t know how he will be comfortable in his division.
What division are they gonna fight? Super-middleweight? It’s too big. He will be slower, you know? Because he will be bigger. For a fight every boxer should be losing weight for speed, lightness, movement. It’s no good for Crawford. But I know and I see that he can get the win.
“Canelo will keep his hands up and walk him down. Crawford is very smart, but nobody knows how he will feel at super-middleweight. It’s too much weight. I did a fight at 200 pounds, I wasn’t light-heavy, I was slow. It’s not comfortable. I think Crawford will be the same heavier. If he will be in his shape, he will beat Canelo.”
As per Crawford’s team, the fight will take place on September 13. He has said he will not take an interim bout even though Canelo is expected to.
Terence Crawford’s right hand man Bernie Davis appears to have confirmed he will fight Canelo Alvarez in 2025.
‘Bud’ hasn’t fought since becoming a four-weight champion with victory over Israil Madrimov last August, but has been heavily linked with a clash against superstar Alvarez.
It would be a mega-fight with huge commercial potential, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh having opened talks with both fighters in London earlier this month.
The showdown will be a huge challenge for Crawford, who will need to step up 14lbs to reach Alvarez’s weight and fight for the unified world titles, but it promises to be a blockbuster.
Reports indicated that an agreement is currently being finalised for the pair to meet in September in Las Vegas.
And Davis, who is a permanent fixture of Crawford’s team, insists it signed and sealed for September 13.
He told Fight Hype: “We will climb that mountain. It’s on, baby. September 13th, look forward to it.
“Crawford vs. Canelo. As I said, Crawford vs. Canelo. Yeah, it’s confirmed. Crawford vs. Canelo, not the other way around.
“Team Crawford stands up. Pound-for-pound, the best in the world. Soon to be the super middleweight champion of the world.
“That’s the only challenges Crawford looked for, and it was only right. We deserved this challenge to be on the big stage in a mega-fight in a super fight in what we call a David vs. Goliath battle.
“Again, we have a lot of disadvantages in this fight as far as weight, as far as power, and a lot of things on par as far as accomplishments and skills-set.
“The things he done have hardly been done before. Two-time undisputed, unified champion in three weights but [won] four [divisions].
“He’s been on the pound-for-pound list for better than 10 years. What more can you ask for?
“We didn’t get the Pacquiao fight or Mayweather or anyone of that caliber. This is the fight.”
Crawford is now 37-years-old and is at the back end of his career, but the potential fight with the Mexican will arguably be his most career-defining yet.
But the promise of pound-for-pound legend Alvarez beckons a chance to cement his legacy in the sport, as well as a lucrative payday for doing so.
Doubts initially crept in that Alvarez would accept the fight, but his stance softened after talks unfolded with Alalshikh.
He has been hugely respectful to Crawford so far, but questioned the champion’s record.
Alvarez said: “Look, I respect Terence Crawford. He’s very talented, but he’s just won one big fight.
“If you see his record, he just beat one good fighter. Other than that, he hasn’t beat other good fighters like Spence.”
Crawford then hit back: “Lol that’s crazy! So every fighter I’ve fought is not good but one?
“Noted! Just remember what you said because I’ve always had the joy in making somebody’s look like nobodies.”
As a rising star in the junior middleweight division, Charles Conwell is eyeing the biggest names in his weight class. However, he also sees why Terence Crawford, a legendary figure in boxing, may opt to move up to super middleweight for a shot at Canelo Alvarez, rather than staying at 154 pounds.
Terence Crawford, having recently captured the WBA world title at 154 pounds with a win over Israil Madrimov, is no stranger to conquering different weight classes, but Conwell believes Crawford may now be considering his options more carefully.
Conwell, who has yet to fight for a world title, understands that Crawford is nearing the end of his career.
“What else is there for Terence Crawford to do and who else is there for him to fight to cement his legacy more than he already has?” Conwell remarked during an interview with Gerry Cooney and Randy Gordon on SiriusXM’s At the Fights.
With a legacy built on multiple championships at various weights, Crawford may now be looking for a new challenge-one that could elevate his career even further.
Crawford’s journey has been defined by dominance at lightweight, light-welterweight, and welterweight. But now, at 37 years old, he has fewer opportunities ahead of him. Conwell believes that Crawford’s decision to move up in weight could be driven by both the desire for a lucrative payday and the opportunity to secure an even bigger legacy.
“A fight with Canelo at 168 would earn Crawford far more than any other bout at 154,” Conwell stated.
Crawford has earned substantial paydays in recent years, particularly after his victory over Errol Spence in 2023, but the opportunity to face Canelo Alvarez, one of boxing’s most marketable stars, would offer a significant boost to Crawford’s financial standing while also providing a potential career-defining moment.
While Conwell respects Crawford’s pursuit of financial success, he also recognizes that today’s fighters often have to weigh the benefits of legacy against the monetary rewards.
“With today’s fighters, I feel like it’s money first,” Conwell explained.
“You can’t eat legacy. You can’t take legacy home. You can’t cash legacy at the bank.”
This is a sentiment that many athletes in combat sports can relate to, and it underscores why a fight with Canelo is so appealing to Crawford.
For Conwell, the prospect of Crawford facing Canelo presents an exciting opportunity for both a lucrative financial payoff and a chance to cement his place in boxing history. While Conwell is still working toward his own first title shot, he acknowledges the inevitability of Crawford seeking the biggest challenges available before the end of his illustrious career.
Should Crawford take on Canelo at super middleweight, it would not only offer massive financial rewards but could also be a fitting capstone to an already storied career.
David Benavidez has long chased a fight with Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez, who now looks more likely to fight Terence Crawford.
Many fans think that the youngest ever super middleweight champion, Benavidez, presents exactly the sort of challenge that multi-weight ruler Canelo needs at this point in his career
He is a naturally big man with a famously high work rate and punching output, who has beaten the likes of David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and Anthony Dirrell. Last time, the 27-year-old scored a points win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his first fight up at light heavyweight.
Despite the intrigue, Canelo has constantly knocked back talk of the showdown, often asking for eye-watering sums of money in the region of $200m. Instead, a fight with two-weight undisputed star Crawford is now edging ever closer with the two fighters reportedly having already agreed a deal.
Speaking to The Miami Hustle, Benavidez was asked about the current chances of him facing Canelo at some point and called him a ‘f**king p**sy’.
“To be honest with you I feel like Canelo is a f**king p**sy.”
He then expanded on why, drawing up past comments from Alvarez, who said that Benavidez brings nothing to the table.
“If we ever fight the man is making well over 100 million dollars. If he’s saying I have nothing to offer, I’m nobody, I have no experience, this and that, if you’re going to make 100 million fighting somebody with no experience, somebody that sucks, why would you not come beat my ass and collect the big bag on my head after the fight?”
With no Canelo fight yet to materialise, Benavidez takes on top contender David Morrell on Saturday 1 February instead, continuing to focus his attention on the light-heavyweight scene and potentially never returning to super-middle.
During the last few weeks, reports that Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford are discussing a possible fight have been flooding the internet. With each passing day, this dream fight is getting closer and closer to becoming a reality.
While fans are excited for these two best pound-for-pound boxers to face off in the ring, experts have taken a different path. While the prospect of Crawford vs. Canelo is fascinating, many promoters and fighters such as Eddie Hearn, David Benavidez and Demetrius Andradethink the winner is already decided
In a conversation with Fight Hub TV, former unified lightweight champion Mikey Garcia also had a similar perspective. However, he advised Canelo Alvarez to take a different path to redeem his past mistakes.
The younger brother of veteran trainer Robert Garcia admitted that this fight had the possibility of performing well financially, while speaking to FightHubTv about the possible matchup.
However, he urged the duo to look for different fights in their own weight classes, but “there’s no money in that.” For him, “at that point, it’s more of a big money fight that’s going to generate,” and nothing else. He further added that although Canelo and Bud are going to fill stadiums, “I’m really not a fan of that matchup”. The Oxnard, California, native believes the duo has enough competition in their own weight classes.
On the other hand, Garcia also had a specific career path for the unified super middleweight champion. According to Mikey Garcia, Canelo should rectify his past mistakes and challenge Dmitry Bivol or even Artur Beterbiev. “I’d rather see Canelo go up and fight someone like Beterbiev or Bivol again if he wants to challenge himself. Go up to 175 again and challenge himself against those guys,” and get out of the bubble he has created around himself.
The four-division champion added that if a smaller guy like Crawford moves up to face the Guadalajara native, a win here will only fuel the latter’s illusion. So, “to prove he’s the best, Canelo Alvarez should move up and challenge himself. He wants the same for Terence Crawford, claiming that “he doesn’t need to move up to fight Canelo, he could just fight other guys at 154 pounds”.
While experts have given their opinions on the possible fight, it seems that the deal is progressing smoothly. A new report from ESPN suggests that both sides are close to completing negotiations and have even decided on a final timetable.
It is no secret that Terence Crawford has been chasing the fight against Canelo Alvarez for several years. However, the latter has always denied the fight for certain reasons. Before December 2024, this fight was only possible in the imagination of the fans. However, the entry of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has somehow forced both of them not only to consider this fight, but negotiations have been progressing rapidly.
During ESPN’s State Of Boxing program, Bernardo Osuna and Mike Coppinger reported that the deal is almost done. It has been leaked that both fighters have decided that the fight will take place on Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas. Reports also suggest that it would be held at 168 pounds with no rehydration clause, exactly what ‘Bud’ had previously said. While Canelo Alvarez will have the size advantage, a fight at 168 pounds will mark Crawford’s debut in his fifth weight division.
During ESPN’s coverage, Osuna stated that “when Turki Alalshikh is determined to see a fight that he is interested in doing, it usually gets done,” regardless of what the world thinks about it. So, at this point, it doesn’t seem that Mikey Garcia’s opinion changes anything. What do you think about Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford? Should the Mexican champion go back to 175 pounds to fight Bivol again? Tell us your opinion below.
Mike Tyson has had his say on the upcoming showdown between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez.
The pound-for-pound superstars have reportedly agreed to face each other later this year, after months of negotiations between the camps of both fighters which were overseen by Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh
Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford has set his sights on becoming a five-weight world champion, just months after he defeated Israil Madrimov to capture the WBA super-welterweight title, becoming a four division champion in the process.
Canelo’s domination at super middleweight began in 2021 when he claimed the undisputed championship with an impressive win over Caleb Plant. Since then he has defeated the likes of Gennady Golovkin, Jermell Charlo and Jaime Munguia. The 34-year-old still holds the unified WBC, WBA and WBO titles at 168lbs, after he was stripped of his IBF title last year.
Speaking to K9 Boxing, ‘Iron’ Mike gave his opinion on the clash between Canelo and Crawford, admitting he ‘doesn’t like’ the idea of the American moving up a further two weight divisions from his last outing.
“I don’t like that fight. Too much weight, you know he had a close fight with the last guy he fought [Madrimov], because this guy was big and he was awkward, he shouldn’t have fought that guy.”
It has been reported that the highly anticipated clash will take place in September, despite it initially being expected to happen in May. Las Vegas is also said to be the likely location for the fight, with the Allegiant Stadium emerging as the preferred venue. An official announcement is expected to be made in the coming weeks.
Terence Crawford may have landed the fight he has been shouting about for two years as Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez finally comes around to the idea.
The two four-weight world champions met with boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh this month and it is understood that he is pursuing a September bout in Las Vegas which would see Crawford move up two divisions from his last bout to challenge Alvarez at super-middleweight
Though many in the sport feat that the jump up will be too much for the American to handle against a Canelo who has been dominated at 168 pounds for some years, ‘Bud’ himself is adamant he has what it takes to win.
One worry for the smaller man will be the power of Canelo’s shots. Though he is on a five-fight stoppage drought, his last coming against Caleb Plant in 2021 to become undisputed, the Mexican puts real strength into his shots and most opponents speak highly of his power.
A clip doing the rounds on social media recently showed Canelo throwing thudding hooks at the heavy bag. In response, Crawford said, “that’s cute.”
Crawford packs a punch himself, boasting 31 stoppages from 41 wins. He did, however, go the distance in his latest fight, a super-welterweight debut against tricky and tough Israil Madrimov.
Some read into that as his power not carrying up as he adds more divisions to his legacy. If that is the case, it does not bode well for another 14 pound weight gain in against a man in Canelo who has never been dropped or stopped in 66 bouts. He is not expected to have the benefit of rehydration clause in the contract.