Canelo Alvarez will fight Terence Crawford in September. Crawford will move up to super-middleweight for this matchup.
The boxing world got excited when news broke about the upcoming bout. Crawford usually fights at 147lbs or below. He recently stepped up to 154lbs in August, beating Israil Madrimov for the WBA super-welterweight title. Now, he's taking an even bigger leap to face Canelo at 168lbs.
Canelo has fought as high as 175lbs before. His power advantage over Crawford at super-middleweight raises concerns. Jermell Charlo, who fought Canelo in September 2023, warns about this power difference.
Charlo moved up two weight divisions to face Canelo, just like Crawford plans to do. The result? Canelo won almost every round, even dropping Charlo, and got a unanimous decision. After the fight, Charlo shared his experience:
"Canelo's a motherf***ing beast. Maybe I felt that more because it was my first time at this weight division. I wish I could've gained a little bit more weight, but I can't control my body like that. That was my true first time feeling a woozy shot."
Charlo's words show how much the weight difference can affect a fighter's ability to take punches.
The fight could have even more at stake. If Canelo beats IBF champion William Scull in May, his bout with Crawford might be for undisputed status. Canelo already holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles.
As September gets closer, fans and experts will keep talking about how Crawford will handle the jump in weight and Canelo's power. It's a huge challenge for Crawford, but also a chance to make history.
