Terence Crawford wasn’t always so keen on a fight against Canelo Alvarez at super-middleweight.
Crawford became a four-weight world champion when he stepped up to 154lbs and defeated Israil Madrimov for the WBA super-welterweight title in August.
It was his first fight for over a year, having last been in the ring in July 2023, when he defeated long-term rival Errol Spence Jr by ninth round stoppage to become undisputed welterweight champion.
In a resurfaced clip shared by Sporting News ahead of that fight, Crawford was asked if he would ever consider a move to 168lbs to face Canelo – and he categorically denounced the idea.
“168? I ain’t going up there.”
Things have now changed, with Crawford desperate to secure a showdown with the Mexican star, and he has told The Porter Way Podcast how he may now consider retirement if he can’t make it happen.
“To be honest that [Canelo] fight was my motivation.
If it’s all about business then you doing good business. If I’m easy work, which I heard him say, then if I’m easy work you know you would make all that money that he’s getting offered – but yet still he want $200m for Benavidez and he want $150m to fight me, so that just lets me know right there that I’m a threat to him and his legacy.
It would be crazy for a guy that started at 135 to come all the way up to 168, no catchweight, and dethrone you, so he’s got that in the back of his head. It’s a big risk for him.
Man. It’s something to talk about [retirement]. You know, there are things that we talk about. Right now I’m still doing what I do, Canelo has got a fight coming up so I never want to make it about me and Canelo.”
While Crawford still has his hopes set on a Canelo battle, another fighter has revealed their intentions to try and take on ‘Bud.’
