Why Crawford’s “best” won’t be enough against Canelo

Terence Crawford published the obligatory “I’m going to surprise the world” message on X today about his fight against unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on a yet to be announced date in September.

Shock the world? Doubtful

Crawford is in his Edgar Berlanga momentgetting a huge non-qualifying payday against Canelo at 168 and talking nonsense to make fans believe he has a chance in this fight. We all know Terence will box and move because he is too small and old to punch. Obviously, Crawford is thinking about all the money he will receive for this fight, so he is in a happy, babbling state of mind. He just won the lottery.

You’re probably very happy about that payday. Without this gift fight that Turki Al-Sheikh gave him, Crawford would be fighting at 154, facing having to fight real sharks like Bakhram Murtazaliev, Serhii Bohachuk, Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Sebastian Fundora.

This isn’t a wrecked, rusty, car-crash-slowed Errol Spence that Crawford is battling. Canelo remains an active and highly dangerous fighter. Canelo is like an M93 Hornet landmine and will explode on the Nebraska native if any ideas occur to him.

Crawford will most likely follow his trainer Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre’s plan of using the move and follow Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol’s plan against Canelo.

Exposed and overrated

Crawford, who will soon turn 38, says he has been hiding as best he can in his “back pocket” all this time.“It’s a little hard to believe after watching him eat Israil Madrimov’s forehands last August and come close to losing to him in his debut at 154. Terence just looked old, small and weak in that fight.

“I don’t think it’s a fight that Canelo really wants, if I’m honest, because I think he feels like he’s not going to get a lot of credit by beating a light middleweight, and Crawford is going to move a lot in that fight. , which is not ideal for Canelo,” Eddie Hearn told Fight Hub TVreacting to the news that Canelo Álvarez will fight Terence Crawford in September.

“What are his (Canelo) options? If (Dmitry) Bivol wins (against Artur Beterbiev on February 22), he will be able to fight for the undisputed title. It’s going to be a very tough fight. Benavidez is up at 175. Obviously, His Excellency wants to make that fight. So, I guess we could see it next,” Hearn said of the Canelo vs. Crawford.

I’m going to surprise the world!!! The best is yet to come. I had it in my back pocket this whole time.

—Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) January 13, 2025