Tantalising super-fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford makes ‘excellent sense’

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are each coming off dominant victories – however with ‘Bud’ difficult the Mexican ace, will we see this cross-division mega-fight quickly? And who wins?

Boxing not often will get these alternatives, when the game’s greatest international famous person (Canelo) and pound-for-pound no.1 (Crawford) are – nearly – in touching distance with regards to weight and in a position to face-off within the ring.

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It occurred in 2007 when Floyd Mayweather moved as much as tackle Oscar De La Hoya, a battle that generated $130million in income. In 2023, after Alvarez dismantled Jermell Charlo, Crawford introduced on social media: “Canelo vs Crawford is the largest battle in boxing.”

Alvarez praised Crawford after his one-sided beatdown of welterweight rival Errol Spence, proclaiming: “Congrats Terence Crawford, you’re a f***ing nice fighter, effectively deserve[d].”

The Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight unification super-fight is undoubtedly a much bigger deal to battle followers within the UK. However when it comes to international curiosity, given the standing of Canelo and Crawford within the USA, South and Central America – Canelo vs Crawford feels much more momentous.

However will we see it within the ring? Canelo cooled speak after his 12-round clinic towards Charlo, saying: “Proper now, the battle with Terence Crawford, it would not make sense.” However rapidly added: “I simply received, let me take pleasure in this.”

In order that signifies the 33-year-old simply needed to delight in his victory, fairly than rule out a future Crawford showdown. Regardless of the three weight divisions between them, it’s really a contest that makes excellent sense for each fighters – even past simply the a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} on the desk for it.

Alvarez boasted “no one can stay with this Canelo” as, absolutely match once more after wrist surgical procedure, he laid a beating on Charlo. It clearly annoys this proud warrior that after his defeat by Dimitry Bivol at 175lb after which two uninspiring wins, he has slipped down the pound-for-pound rankings.

There are two lifelike methods Canelo can put himself again in competition for no.1 spot. Defeat Bivol in a rematch – a difficult problem given the bigger Russian could all the time have his quantity style-wise.

Or turn out to be the primary man to beat Crawford, a smaller, older boxer who’s by no means fought above welterweight in his life.

Choice two appears to be like much more achievable. And whereas some within the Canelo promotional enterprise may fear {that a} Crawford contest is a ‘no-win battle’ – the place if the Mexican is victorious, individuals will say it’s just because he’s greater, but when he loses it’s a humiliation – Alvarez certainly sees it as a winnable battle.

In spite of everything, the super-middleweight king simply took aside the undisputed light-middleweight champion. Why ought to he concern the undisputed champ from a division under that? Crawford received his first world title at 135lb and, at 36 years outdated, just isn’t naturally getting any greater.

For ‘Bud’ the attraction is easy: if the KO of Spence sealed his standing as a contemporary nice, leaping up three weight divisions to beat the 168lb model of Canelo would make Crawford an all-time nice.

Regardless of driving an 11-fight knockout streak throughout 140lb and 147lb, Crawford could be unlikely to place a dent in Canelo’s iron chin. However he has different weapons. This slick, sensible, versatile switch-hitter would again himself to outbox any opponent even near his dimension.

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And whereas Canelo regarded superb towards Charlo, he nonetheless likes to battle at his personal methodical tempo. He’ll all the time have issues towards really elite fighters with correct jabs and superior footwork. He additionally misplaced to Mayweather, a welterweight like ‘Bud’ – albeit that was a uncooked, weight-drained Canelo fairly than the mature, filled-out model at 168lb.

Canelo is intelligent sufficient to know that Crawford could be a very totally different proposition to Charlo as effectively. Extra expert, extra adaptable, confirmed at a better degree and – simply as importantly – with a will to win which means he would by no means meekly settle for defeat.

However a pure weight distinction of 21lb – or a stone and a half – is massively vital in a sport when even high fighters can come undone stepping up one weight division. Canelo might not have scored a knockout since 2021 when he stopped Caleb Plant, however he’s a far tougher puncher than anybody Crawford may have confronted.

Boxing knowledge means that class, when it comes to talent, is extra necessary than weight class. How else might Manny Pacquiao leap two divisions to brutalise De La Hoya or former middleweight Roy Jones Jr transfer as much as heavyweight and dethrone world titlist Andy Ruiz?

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However typically, the crushed foe was both past-it or not in the identical league talent-wise as their smaller opponent. Canelo is clearly not shot and, given his glittering CV and standing as a four-weight world champion, will rightly imagine he’s akin to anybody when it comes to expertise.

Earlier than we even see a Canelo-Crawford crossover battle, nevertheless, there are different containers to be ticked. Except he has a sudden change of coronary heart – or is obtainable step-aside cash – Spence is activating his rematch clause and combating Crawford subsequent.

Canelo, naturally, isn’t wanting choices. The winner of David Benavidez vs Demetrius Andrade in November will make an apparent subsequent opponent for him at super-middleweight – probably on Cinco de Mayo in Could 2024.

But neither Benavidez nor Andrade would seize the eye of informal boxing followers in the best way Canelo vs Crawford would. A tantalising super-fight through which each fighters will see a surefire strategy to seal their legacies, whereas the sporting world stops to observe. Which may simply be sufficient to see the 2 fighters meet within the ring sooner or later quickly.