Canelo, the unified super-middleweight world champion, initially dismissed Crawford's call-out. Crawford's last fight was at super-welterweight, making the weight difference a significant hurdle.
But things have moved forward. Turki Alalshikh, representing Saudi Arabia, has made good progress in getting the bout made. The fight, though not yet official, is penciled in for September 13.
Arum, who once doubted Crawford's chances, has now reconsidered his stance. In late 2023, he told Fight Hub TV:
"I think Canelo wipes the floor with him. I love Crawford, I told you when Crawford was fighting Spence that Crawford would beat the hell out of him. But Canelo is a different proposition. It's an interesting fight, but I think there's only one winner. Canelo is used to fighting at a particular level and I don't think that Terence can hurt Canelo, but Canelo can hurt Terence."
However, in a recent interview with FightHype, Arum's opinion has shifted:
"I wouldn't count Crawford out in any fight, because Crawford has a unique talent. He's a great boxer, boxer-puncher, and he is totally ambidextrous. So he drives his opponent crazy, because the opponent trains to fight a right handed fighter and ends up fighting a southpaw. That's what happened to Errol Spence. Spence trained to fight a right-handed fighter and all he saw was a southpaw … I think what Crawford is looking for Manny Pacquiao vs De La Hoya."
Crawford, a four-division titlist, faces a big challenge. He'll need to gain 14 pounds to meet Canelo at super-middleweight. But his team sounds confident, with a member stating the event is on for September 13.
Canelo is expected to fight in May against an unspecified opponent before potentially facing Crawford. The Mexican star's power and experience at the higher weight give him an edge on paper.
Crawford's ambidextrous style could be a wild card. He hopes to replicate Manny Pacquiao's success against Oscar De La Hoya, another fight where a smaller man moved up in weight to face a larger champion.
As September approaches, boxing fans eagerly await official confirmation of this intriguing matchup between two of the sport's best pound-for-pound fighters.