Terence Crawford continues to call for a fight against Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez.
Both men are four-division world champions and considered to be the very elite of this era. Whilst there is no doubt that the match-up makes a mega fight, the main obstacle is a two-weight jump for Crawford, who last fought at 154 pounds and would be packing on another 14 to meet Canelo at 168.
It is for that reason that the Mexican has been largely dismissive of the fight in the past, telling Box Azteca he would get no credit for the win.
“So now if you imagine Crawford as a welterweight. 168lbs, I have everything to lose and nothing to gain because if I win, they’ll say, ‘Oh, he was too small, and everything!”
Since that comment, Crawford has moved a step closer by beating Israil Madrimov at super-welterweight to win the WBA World Title. Still, Canelo wasn’t impressed. He told FightHype that ‘there are weight classes for a reason’ and that he actually felt Madrimov deserved the victory.
“I think he knows why there’s weight classes there, right? He make a good fight, but for me I think he lost the fight. Or draw. It could have been the other side.”
The American is not to be deterred, especially as long as he keeps winning. Speaking on The Porter Way podcast, Crawford dismissed the critique, reminding Alvarez that when he most recently moved up a division to face Dmitry Bivol at light-heavyweight, ‘he lost.’
“They talk all the crazy stuff about me going up and having a tough time… But he went up in weight and lost. That’s the difference. I went up in weight and won. He went up and lost. So let’s not do that, Canelo.”
Canelo was outboxed by Bivol over twelve in what was his second attempt at 175 pounds, the first being a win over Sergey Kovalev. Fans will see where Crawford’s argument holds weight – he is chasing greatness like Canelo always has, so why should he be denied?
The super-middleweight champion’s argument is further diminished when considering that he faced Jermell Charlo, who was formerly undisputed at super-welterweight, just three fights ago.
