Crawford aims to make history by becoming the first male boxer to win undisputed championships in three weight classes. He'll move up two divisions to challenge Alvarez for all four super-middleweight belts.
The Omaha native already holds the distinction of unifying all major titles at super-lightweight and welterweight. Now he faces his toughest test yet against the Mexican superstar Alvarez.
Canelo brings a wealth of big-fight experience to the table. He's competed as high as light heavyweight and boasts wins over elite opponents like Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, Miguel Cotto, and Shane Mosley.
Speaking of Mosley, the former Canelo opponent from 2012 doesn't give Crawford much of a chance. He told The Ring Magazine:
"I think it'll be a great fight. I think both guys are great fighters, but I think Canelo is too big. They mistake him as just being a guy at 168 and Crawford being the more talented, that's not the case, they're both talented, but Canelo has him by two weight divisions."
Mosley believes Canelo will win "pretty easily" due to the size advantage. He criticized Crawford's team for underestimating Alvarez's talent level.
The bout shapes up as a true clash of pound-for-pound greats. Crawford must overcome a significant size disadvantage to pull off the upset. If Canelo emerges victorious, he may look to move away from 168 pounds for his next fight.
With less than two months to go, anticipation builds for this historic matchup between two of boxing's biggest stars. The winner will cement their place among the all-time greats of the sport.