Former WBO super-welterweight champion Liam Smith thinks Canelo will win. Smith, who lost to Canelo by 9th round stoppage in 2016, shared his thoughts with First Round TV.
"A good fight but I think Canelo is just too big, too solid. He's shorter than me, it's crazy, but he's solid. We saw it when he fought Charlo, he'll stalk him and just be too big. A lot of people are not looking at Madrimov. We saw Crawford struggle at 154. Madrimov is a poor man's Canelo if that makes sense."
Smith points out that Crawford had trouble at 154 pounds against Israil Madrimov. He believes the weight difference between 168 and Crawford's usual 147 pounds much. Smith expects Canelo to win on points by stalking Crawford and applying pressure.
The fight brings together two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. It's a huge challenge for Crawford, moving up two weight classes to face the undisputed champion. Bob Arum, Crawford's former promoter and Top Rank CEO, has also given his take on the upcoming battle. The. But that's a story for another day.