Terence Crawford is making a big jump in his boxing career. The undisputed welterweight champion plans to move up to super middleweight for a potential fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in September.
Crawford's last fight was on August 3, 2024, when he beat Israil Madrimov at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. That win made him a two-division champion, adding the super welterweight title to his collection. But Crawford didn't hold onto that belt for long. He gave it up, which means he's no longer next in line to fight Sebastian Fundora for the WBO title.
Now, Crawford's got his sights set on an even bigger challenge. He's planning to jump from 154 pounds all the way up to 168 pounds to face Canelo, the current king of the super middleweight division. It's a big risk for Crawford, who's fought just once a year since 2020.
The long wait between fights and the need to gain weight could make things tough for Crawford. He's got a perfect record of 41 wins and no losses, but Canelo will be his toughest test yet. Crawford's recent opponents include Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, David Avanesyan, Errol Spence Jr., and Madrimov.
While Crawford waits for September, Canelo's keeping busy. He beat Jermell Charlo on September 30 and has a fight coming up on May 3 in Riyadh against William Scull. That fight's part of Canelo's contract with Riyadh Season and will help him stay sharp.
The super welterweight division isn't standing still while Crawford moves up. Sebastian Fundora, the current WBO champion, is set to defend his title against Xander Zayas. Zayas earned his shot by beating Chordale Booker.
Crawford's move is a big gamble. He'll be fighting two weight classes above where he just won a title. But if he can pull it off, it could be the biggest win of his career.
