Terence Crawford prepares to face his toughest challenge yet as he gets ready to fight Canelo Alvarez. The bout will take place on Saturday, September 13, in Las Vegas, though it's still waiting for an official announcement.
Crawford, known as "Bud," hails from Omaha, Nebraska. At 37 years old, he's stepping up two weight divisions to challenge Canelo for the undisputed super-middleweight championship. This marks a significant leap for Crawford, who's already made his mark as an undisputed champion in both super-lightweight and welterweight divisions.
Crawford's career has been nothing short of impressive. He turned pro in 2008 and has since collected world titles across four weight classes. His most recent fight saw him move up to super-welterweight, where he clinched the WBA world title against Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles last August.
That fight with Madrimov, while a victory for Crawford, didn't quite live up to expectations. The twelve-round contest was closer than the scorecards suggested, leaving some questions about Crawford's readiness for the super-middleweight division.
Madrimov, Crawford's last opponent, shared his thoughts on Crawford's abilities after their fight. At the post-fight press conference, he said:
"There's no doubt on his power, there's no doubt on his skills. I knew that and that's why this fight was so close."
However, in a separate interview with Mill City Boxing, Madrimov offered a different perspective on Crawford's power:
"It's regular power because he's a [smaller] weight going up. It's normal, you know, his punch."
These comments don't paint the most optimistic picture for Crawford's chances against Canelo. The Mexican champion has never been knocked down or stopped in his career, adding another layer of difficulty to Crawford's challenge.
Despite the odds, a win for Crawford would cement his place in boxing history. He's already achieved remarkable success, but defeating Canelo at super-middleweight would be his greatest accomplishment yet.
As the fight draws closer, fans and experts will be watching closely to see how Crawford prepares for this monumental task. Will his skills and determination be enough to overcome the size and power advantage of Canelo? Only time will tell.
