Canelo Alvarez, fresh off his victory over Jaime Munguia, has shared his insights on how to defeat Terence Crawford, one of the most formidable fighters in the sport today. After retaining his Undisputed Super Middleweight Title, Canelo suggested that a showdown with David Benavidez would only be feasible for an astronomical $200 million, a condition that makes the fight unlikely. Instead, Saudi Arabian interests are reportedly keen on arranging a bout between Canelo and Crawford, with Canelo already having agreed to an IBF mandatory fight against William Scull. Speculations suggest this might be a step-aside deal, with Edgar Berlanga, Chris Eubank Jr., and Jermall Charlo also in the mix.
Should the stars align, a fight between Canelo and Crawford would be one of the most intriguing matchups in recent boxing history. Crawford, who would have to move up two weight classes from 154 pounds, aims to become a three-weight undisputed champion. Known for his ability to switch between orthodox and southpaw stances, Crawford is deceptively strong, as evidenced by his dominant performance against the bigger Errol Spence Jr., whom he stopped in the ninth round to maintain a 100 percent KO rate at welterweight.
Crawford is scheduled to fight Israil Madrimov on August 3, marking his debut at 154 pounds. Madrimov, with a 10-0-1 record and seven KOs, presents a significant challenge. Meanwhile, Canelo’s reputation as a heavy hitter with a granite chin—having never been dropped even in his three fights with Gennadiy Golovkin (GGG)—adds to the anticipation. Despite controversies over his first fight with GGG, Canelo remains an experienced boxer with over 60 fights, his only losses coming against technical fighters like Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol.
In an interview, Canelo emphasized the importance of patience and bodywork in overcoming Crawford’s versatile fighting style. “I think Crawford [would be tough to prepare for] because he goes southpaw and orthodox. I think he’s a very difficult fighter. Just be patient. Prepare myself like always and be patient, work the body [but] I think being patient is the key. Everybody looks for the head, and it’s very difficult to hit that kind of fighter in the head,” Canelo explained.
Despite Canelo’s confidence, Crawford’s trainer, Brian McIntyre, believes Crawford has the skills to outbox the super-middleweight champion. “Bud beats [him]. Just outbox[es] him. It [the weight difference] don’t matter – Bud been fighting big people all his…life. Power? We know how to roll with punches…we’ll take your power away from you. How do you take the power away from a power-puncher? I ain’t gonna tell you! Timing. [If the fight happens] it’d be an Errol Spence-Crawford II.”
McIntyre also respects Canelo’s stance that he has little to gain from the fight but argues that knowledgeable boxing fans recognize Crawford’s potential to defeat Canelo. “Hard boxing fans know that Bud could beat Canelo. He might be bigger, but he don’t got the height, he ain’t got the reach. He’s got a good boxing IQ, but he don’t have that crazy IQ that Terence has,” McIntyre stated.
As both fighters continue their respective paths, the boxing world watches with bated breath, eagerly anticipating the possibility of this epic clash. With each fighter bringing unique strengths to the ring, a Canelo-Crawford matchup promises to be a historic battle, showcasing the pinnacle of boxing talent and strategy.
