Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Terence 'Bud' Crawford are set to face off in a super middleweight showdown on Saturday, September 13. The fight brings together two undisputed champions, with Crawford moving up two weight classes to challenge Canelo.
Both fighters come into this bout following recent wins, though neither performance fully convinced fans. Canelo beat William Scull in Saudi Arabia, but the Cuban's evasive style made for a less than thrilling spectacle. Crawford, on the other hand, won against Israil Madrimov in a more exciting fight, though the Uzbek boxer prevented Crawford from truly shining.
Crawford's journey to super middleweight has caught everyone's attention. He's moving up from 70 kg to 76 kg, and photos on social media show he's packed on serious muscle. His new, more voluminous physique has left fans amazed.
Crawford's recent fight against Madrimov at super welterweight gave some insights into what he might face against Canelo. In his debut at that weight class, Crawford felt Madrimov's power and had to retreat at times, never letting his guard down. This suggests Crawford might struggle to knock out the bigger Canelo.
Crawford's trainer, Jacqui 'Red' Spikes, remains confident in his fighter's abilities. He said:
"One thing's for sure, Canelo is going to feel his power, he's going to respect Bud Crawford. Bud is a very strong fighter, he's a very good fighter and intelligence will be key."
Spikes also acknowledged Canelo's strengths, noting:
"What worries us about Canelo is not his size but that he is an intelligent fighter."
The trainer emphasized that the mental game, skill, and proper preparation will be crucial for this fight.
History has seen smaller, skilled fighters triumph over larger opponents before. Sugar Ray Leonard's victory over Marvin Hagler comes to mind, as does Oleksandr Usyk's success against bigger heavyweights.
Canelo enters the fight as a slight favorite, but Crawford is no ordinary opponent. The boxing world waits with bated breath to see if Crawford can pull off the upset or if Canelo will cement his dominance in yet another weight class.
