Terence Crawford looks set to make a two division jump to face Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Bob Arum, who at 93-years-old has seen it all in the sport, has changed his view on the match-up.
Crawford is ignoring the warnings from many that a jump to super-middle having last competed at super-welter is too much to handle, particularly against a fighter of Canelo’s grit and skill.
Both men have now met with boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh and it is understood conversations are positive to make it happen, even despite Canelo previously dismissing the bout.
Speaking to Fight Hub TV in September of 2023, Crawford’s former promoter Arum said Alvarez ‘wipes the floor with him.’
“I think Canelo wipes the floor with him. I love Crawford, I told you when Crawford was fighting Spence that Crawford would beat the hell out of him.
“But Canelo is a different proposition. It’s an interesting fight, but I think there’s only one winner. Canelo is used to fighting at a particular level and I don’t think that Terence can hurt Canelo, but Canelo can hurt Terence.”
However, fast forward around 18 months and the veteran promoter now views the American’s chances much more favourably. In an interview with FightHype,
“I wouldn’t count Crawford out in any fight, because Crawford has a unique talent. He’s a great boxer, boxer-puncher, and he is totally ambidextrous. So he drives his opponent crazy, because the opponent trains to fight a right handed fighter and ends up fighting a southpaw.
That’s what happened to Errol Spence. Spence trained to fight a right-handed fighter and all he saw was a southpaw … I think what Crawford is looking for Manny Pacquiao vs De La Hoya.”
It seems fans are not far off from seeing the fight play out and all of these expert predictions put to the test. The latest update suggests that a date in September is being targeted with a potential interim fight for each man in May.
