The most anticipated fight in boxing is here, the one between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford. Here are some of the predictions from the professionals in the ring.
Amir Khan (rival of both)
“I’m the only one who shares the ring with both. I’ve always said that both fighters are great, both are excellent at what they do. When I fought Canelo, he was easier to hit; he had slow feet but fast hands. I never expected him to have the fast hands that he had. He has a lot of power. That’s something Crawford has to worry about: the size and the power. I saw a picture of Crawford weighing around 82 kg. He looked strong, big and I think he holds the weight well. He’s another very strong and powerful fighter. I’m leaning more towards Crawford in this fight because he’s the fresher fighter. He hasn’t been in as many wars as Canelo. But look, this is high level boxing, so I don’t know who will win, but I’m leaning more towards Crawford.”
Fernando Vargas Jr. (sparred with both)
“I don’t think Crawford can take Canelo’s best shot. I had the opportunity to train with Terence Crawford and he is very clever. He came out well, really well. I think he was getting ready for Errol Spence, and I went to the Apex and we trained, and he’s very strong… He’s one of those skinny, strong guys. He knows how to use his strength. I think he will be successful early on with Canelo, maybe moving his head back. You see Canelo lift fighters when he gets frustrated, but I think Canelo will end up landing his punches, and I think that power will be too much. I don’t think Crawford can take Canelo’s best shot, but that’s what makes it a good fight.”
Robert Garcia, The Ring’s Trainer of the Year in 2024
“Crawford knows what to do in the ring. It doesn’t matter who he faces. And from what I’ve seen in the last three, four, maybe five fights of Canelo, I don’t see that eagerness. He just does enough to win. He just looks to throw a punch and all that favors Crawford.”
David Benavidez
“You should never rule out Terence Crawford, but there are weight classes for a reason.”
Oleksandr Usyk
“Terence is my friend, but he’s crazy. I say Terence wins. Look, Terence is different, he works in two positions; he’s very, very, very smart.”
Tyson Fury
“It’s a very difficult fight, with different weight classes. At 168 pounds, I would say Canelo. At 140, I would say Crawford. So I go with Canelo. I think it’s a fantastic fight for boxing. It’s the coming together of two of the biggest names in boxing. Two men, with pride at stake and everything to fight for.”
Gervonta Davis
“I’m not trying to convince [the journalists] that Crawford can beat Canelo. He’s a good fighter! Smarter fighters are always better than bigger fighters, as they know how to move, and this guy is excellent at what he does.”
Manny Pacquiao
“It’s not easy for Crawford. Canelo has a big advantage, so Crawford needs to control his body, his speed and his power as he moves up in weight. It’s not just about speed, it’s also about the techniques to use in the fight. [Crawford] needs to make sure, in his daily routine, that the strategy and combinations are right for Canelo’s style.”
Roy Jones Jr.
“I like Terence, but I’ll lean towards Canelo because of his size, but if he lets Terence into the fight, Terence will be a problem, and if he can deal with the size, Crawford will beat him.”
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