Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez might push Terence Crawford to hang up his gloves. The Mexican superstar's recent comments about a potential fight between the two could sway Crawford's decision to keep boxing or call it quits.
Canelo, the unified super-middleweight champion, gets ready to defend his titles against Edgar Berlanga this weekend. Meanwhile, Crawford, fresh off a unanimous decision win over Israil Madrimov for the WBA Super-Welterweight World title, keeps eyeing a showdown with Alvarez.
For over a year now, Crawford has been calling out Canelo. The 36-year-old sees Alvarez as his final challenge in boxing and might retire if he doesn't get the fight.
When asked about the possibility of facing Crawford, Canelo didn't rule it out. He told interviewer Manouk Akopyan:
"Could be, why not? We are in boxing."
But Canelo also made it clear he thinks it would be a walk in the park for him:
"You know, what we saw in the last fight with him [against Israil Madrimov], I think that's why there are weight classes. That's what I think, it's an easy fight for me."
Canelo's confidence stems from the big weight difference between them. Crawford just moved up to super-welterweight, while Canelo has been competing comfortably at super-middleweight.
Crawford's recent fight showed his power might not be as effective at higher weights. He couldn't stop Madrimov, ending his streak of ten straight knockout wins.
Canelo won't talk more about fighting Crawford until after his bout with Berlanga. When asked about his price for the Crawford fight, he dodged the question:
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"You know already. You already asked me and I already told you. Right now I'm focused 100% on my fight on Saturday … You know the answer, buddy."
If Canelo beats Berlanga, fans will be curious about his next move. As for Crawford, he seems willing to wait for his shot at the Mexican star. But with Canelo seeing it as an "easy fight," Crawford might have to rethink his plans – and possibly his boxing future.