A potential Terence Crawford versus Canelo Alvarez fight has been speculated throughout 2024 but is yet to materialise, and now a former opponent to both has claimed that the Mexican superstar is scared to step into the ring with ‘Bud.’
Crawford and Canelo appeared to be on a collision course earlier this year, especially when the American stepped up to 154lbs to face Israil Madrimov for the WBA super-welterweight title.
Although the Omaha native was triumphant in the bout, his hopes of facing Canelo were dealt a blow when Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh announced he wouldn’t be pursuing the contest due to Alvarez’s reluctance to negotiate prior to his fight with Edgar Berlanga.
The 168lb champion defeated Berlanga in September to retain his WBA, WBC and WBO super-middleweight titles, but a fight against Crawford doesn’t appear any closer to taking place in the near future.
Plenty of boxing figures are still holding out hope that the bout could happen, including former world champion Amir Khan, who is one of the few fighters that have fought both Canelo and Crawford.
Khan suffered stoppage defeats to both men, first against Canelo in 2016 before facing Crawford in 2019. In an interview with Boxing News he says he respects ‘Bud’ for being willing to step up for the contest.
“It’s going to be a great test for Crawford. Both fighters have been looking amazing so I think it’s an amazing fight. Respect to him for jumping up and taking that fight because he doesn’t need to. He can still make big money fighting elsewhere.
Khan then explained why he thinks Canelo is the one preventing the fight from being made.
“It seems to me that Canelo is scared and doesn’t want to fight him. All these excuses he’s coming out with. But to be honest with you what a fight it would be.”
Canelo recently made it clear that a rematch against Dmitry Bivol is a bout he is targeting in 2025, and Bivol has had his say on whether he would be interested.
