5 Burning Questions for Canelo-Crawford
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Few fights in boxing history carry the level of intrigue, legacy implications, and sheer star power that Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence “Bud” Crawford does. With both men already cemented as all-time greats, this showdown feels less like another marquee bout and more like a generational collision.
Can Crawford defy the odds by jumping multiple weight classes to conquer the face of boxing? Or will Canelo remind the world why he’s been the sport’s standard-bearer for over a decade?
Ahead of this historic clash, we tackle 5 Burning Questions that could define not only the outcome of the fight, but the future of both legends:
#1. Where would a win for either fighter rank amongst their greatest career victories?
Lee: Terence Crawford jumping up two weight classes and beating Canelo Alvarez, who is viewed by many as the face of boxing, would be no easy task. On the other hand, Canelo beating Crawford would be a good win. But in the realm of boxing, he should beat the smaller guy.
Canelo’s best victories to date remain his hard-fought trilogy wins over Gennady Golovkin. His greatest triumphs, however, may still lie ahead in a potential rematch with Dmitry Bivol or a long-anticipated clash with David Benavidez. While Canelo has earned massive paydays and collected countless titles, a win over Álvarez would undoubtedly stand as the single greatest achievement of Crawford’s career.
Evan: A win for either man would easily rank among the greatest of their careers. They’re arguably the toughest opponent each other have faced throughout their careers. Crawford’s best wins are probably against Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter. Canelo on the other hand has beaten more of a variety of big names.
The Mexican legend however, hasn’t faced or beaten a significant fighter on the level of Bud in almost three years. Ultimately though, this is a wash for me. Whether Álvarez or Crawford is victorious on Saturday night, it’s a massive win for their resume.
#2. Whose legacy is impacted more by the outcome of this fight?
Lee: Crawford, the first male boxer in the four-belt era to become undisputed in two divisions, now has the chance to claim Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight crown. Critics argue he has only faced one true elite in Errol Spence Jr., but a win here would silence any doubts and cement him as the pound-for-pound best of this era.
Already regarded as one of the most complete fighters of his generation, defeating Canelo would elevate his respect and legacy while reinforcing his status as one of the most avoided boxers of his time.
Evan: This is pretty much a coin flip to me. I think there is a case to be made that this is the biggest fight of both of their careers. A favorable outcome for either man would put them in line to be arguably the fighter of their generation. Those are pretty monumental stakes.
With that being said, I’ll side with Lee here and go with Crawford. If he were to become an undisputed champion in a third weight class, that alone would be one of the most unique feats we’ve ever seen from a boxer in the modern era. But when you add in that he would have defeated another perennial pound-for-pound great in Canelo to potentially accomplish that, it only extenuates the rare magnitude of the win.
A victory here would solidify Bud as not only a one of a kind talent, but put him atop the Mount Rushmore of this era of boxing, and stamp his placement as an all-time legend of the sport.
#3. Will Crawford’s jump up in weight be an advantage or a liability?
Lee: For any other fighter bulking up for a fight could be detrimental but I don’t see this as an issue for Terence Crawford. If his strength was speed it would be problematic but his most powerful weapons inside the squared circle are his ring IQ and his ability to adapt mid-fight. His combination of poise, power and expert defense will all still be there along with the additional weight. The added weight could also be an advantage adding more power to his punches in both hands. Additionally, it could pose a problem when it comes to his footwork, slips and weaves but overall, the additional weight should not be viewed as a disadvantage for Crawford.
Evan: I align with Lee on this one. I think the additional weight won’t be a hindrance to Crawford or his performance in this fight. He’s taken the adequate time to smartly put on the extra bulk, and fill out his frame. So, I don’t believe it will take away from his foot or hand speed, which both should still be superior to Canelo’s.
Plus, one of Bud’s best skills is his timing and ability to find the perfect angles to land counter shots. If the added size is able to give him some extra pop in his punches, pairing that with his timing makes him an even more dangerous threat for Canelo to handle. It also should give him a better chance to pose some resistance and have more success fighting on the inside against him.
#4. Does Canelo still have the ability to stalk, walk down, bully, and cut off the ring against a fighter of Bud’s caliber?
Lee: Canelo will be the bigger fighter. So, he should look to cut the ring off and keep Crawford on the ropes. If Crawford’s fighting ability hinged solely on speed, I would say Canelo wouldn’t be able to stalk and bully him. But since Crawford is more of a technical fighter, I see Canelo being able to impose his will at times in this fight.
Crawford will need to show Canelo that he can take his power shots and return some of his own. If Crawford cannot make Canelo respect his power shots, Canelo will walk him down and batter him against the ropes round after round.
Evan: I definitely think Canelo still has the physicality, skills, chin, and power to walk Crawford down. Especially if he’s able to weather Bud’s counter shots and hurt the Nebraska native with his own heavy combinations. That could be a turning point in the fight.
On the flip side though, Álvarez has started to show signs of somewhat slowing down as an offensive force. He also hasn’t fought anyone remotely close to Crawford’s level in the past two years. Canelo looked like he was just going through the motions in his recent bouts with Edgar Berlanga, Jaime Munguía, Jermell Charlo, John Ryder, and William Scull.
None of those guys have Bud’s slickness, fight IQ, speed, or overall skill. So if that version of Álvarez shows up here, the chances of him bullying Crawford are very slim.
#5. Will age diminish either fighter—and the fight itself?
Lee: Although both guys are in their mid-to-late thirties, I think this fight will not disappoint. Both guys are great champions, and both will look to prove they are the best pound-for-pound fighter in the game today. Both still have world class skills, strong ring IQs and neither has shown a drop off due to age.
The only way this fight doesn’t live up to the hype is if something weird happens during the fight. Both fighters are still in great shape and understand the importance of this legacy fight.
Evan: I wholeheartedly agree with Lee, that I believe this matchup will live up to expectations for the most part. Both guys have clearly really taken their training seriously. They look to be in phenomenal shape, and seemingly know how much is on the line here. But we do have to be honest that with Bud being 37, and Canelo being 35, there is a chance this could be lackluster.
Crawford’s only fought twice in the last two years and Canelo has been in a handful of one-sided, favorable fights in that same time frame. That could lead to us seeing an underwhelming sparring match. However, I do expect both of them to bring out the best of each other. I think the odds of getting a technical thriller between the two, are greater than the fight being a disappointment.
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