Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are set to face off in a big-money boxing match on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The fight, promoted by Turki Alalshikh and billed as "The Fight of the Century," will see both fighters pocket a cool $50 million.
As the anticipation builds, Crawford got some tactical advice from an unexpected source - Erislandy Lara, a former rival of Canelo. The Cuban boxer, who lost a split decision to Canelo in 2014, shared his insights on how Crawford might approach the fight.
Lara's main piece of advice? Keep moving. He stressed the importance of avoiding Canelo's physical power by staying mobile in the ring. But Lara didn't stop there. He also warned Crawford against throwing arm punches, as this could allow Canelo to impose his rhythm on the fight.
"Crawford needs to keep moving, but he can't just run around the ring. He's got to find a balance between mobility and offense. If he's too defensive, he'll lose the fight on the scorecards."
Lara spoke from experience. In his own fight against Canelo, he used his legs well but was criticized for being too passive. This allowed Canelo to be more aggressive and ultimately sway the judges.
Crawford, known for his technical skill and ability to switch stances, will need to avoid falling into the same trap. Lara pointed out that a purely evasive style, like his own "Tom and Jerry" approach or that of William Scull, won't work against Canelo.
"Las Vegas doesn't forgive fights without action. Crawford needs to be smart, but he also needs to engage."
Despite the challenges, Lara sees the fight as a 50-50 affair. He believes Crawford has a good chance of beating Canelo if he can combine mobility with aggressiveness and withstand Canelo's power over 12 rounds.
"It's all about maintaining effectiveness and initiative. If Crawford can do that, he's got a real shot at winning."
As one of the most anticipated fights of the year approaches, all eyes will be on Crawford to see if he can put this advice into practice and prove he can handle Canelo's power without losing his edge. The boxing world waits with bated breath for September 13.
