Claressa Shields Picks Surprise Winner for Canelo-Crawford Showdown: "That Power Is Different"

Terence Crawford wants to move up two weight classes to fight Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. The potential bout between these two future Hall of Famers has got the boxing world talking.

Crawford, a four-weight world champion, is looking to cement his legacy in what could be the final chapter of his career. He's currently considered the pound-for-pound best by some, including five-weight world champion Claressa Shields.

Canelo, also a four-weight world champion, holds three of the four major belts at 168 pounds. He's just come off a title defense against Edgar Berlanga and is weighing his options for his next fight.

In an interview with Sean Zittel, Shields shared her thoughts on the potential matchup:

"Team Crawford, me. It's gonna be a good one, but Canelo, he's number two pound-for-pound. Pound-for-pound number one is Crawford, and that's skill wise."

Shields believes Crawford will win, pointing out that Canelo has slowed down in recent fights. She praised Crawford's skills, knockout power, and intelligence in the ring.

When asked about Canelo's warning that there are weight classes for a reason, Shields drew from her own experience:

"Oh that's beautiful. I'm all the way a heavyweight. That's because I got the skills, the power and everything to pay the bills. Terence Crawford's got the skills to pay the bills, the knockout power. He's very smart in there. And he's sturdy. Now the weight class can matter a little bit, but boxing matters."

As for making the fight happen, Crawford's team is reportedly preparing to make a big money offer to Canelo. However, Canelo might be considering a move back up to light-heavyweight for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol.

Some have speculated that Crawford might retire if he doesn't land the Canelo fight. But Crawford has recently hinted that he'll continue boxing, keeping fans guessing about his next move.

The boxing world waits with bated breath to see if this legacy-defining bout will come to fruition. Both fighters are at the top of their game, and a matchup between them would be a treat for boxing fans worldwide.