As anticipation builds for the September bout between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez, Jake Paul has stirred controversy with a cutting remark aimed at Bud’s lack of mainstream visibility.
When Canelo steps into the ring to face off against the 37-year-old light-middleweight champion, it will be a clash between two of boxing’s elite gunning for the undisputed super-middleweight belts.
The bout, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, will catch a lot of eyes around the world but the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul hints most of them will be firmly on the Mexican Alvarez instead.
“No one really knows who Crawford is,” Paul said. “To be honest, I think my mom has more followers than him on Instagram.
“I’m not even kidding.”
Crawford currently boasts over 1.8 million Instagram followers but that is dwarfed by the likes of Canelo’s 19 million and Paul’s 28.4 million. His mother comes in at a respectable 429,000.
But the comment does reflects Paul’s broader criticism of fighters he views as less engaged with promotional hype or social media-driven fame, and perhaps does make a point that Alvarez seems to be the main draw.
That’s because Crawford, a three-division world champion and former undisputed welterweight king, has long prioritized performance over promotion. He will no doubt do so again for September’s fight night.
Eddie Hearn warns Crawford ahead of Canelo face off
While Jake Paul takes aim at Crawford’s social footprint, others in the boxing world are expressing concern about what he faces in the ring when he meets the 34-year-old Canelo, who boasts a 63-2-2 record.
Eddie Hearn recently cautioned Bud about his formidable opponent, wondering if this is one bridge too far for the challenger hailing out of Omaha and representing the United States.
“Crawford is an incredible fighter,” Hearn acknowledged. “But he has never faced anyone like Canelo.
“You can’t just move up in weight and expect your natural talent to be enough. Canelo is a monster at 168 pounds.
“When you look at Crawford’s resume, there are big names, but it doesn’t compare to Canelo’s.
“This guy has fought Gennady Golovkin, Dmitry Bivol, Caleb Plant, Billy Joe Saunders… and has come through in most of those wars.”
Indeed, Canelo’s track record includes a long list of world champions across multiple weight classes, and his experience against heavy hitters and technically gifted opponents gives him an advantage.
Yet Crawford deserves respect too. His performance against Errol Spence Jr. was a tactical masterclass, showcasing his defensive skills, ring IQ, and precision power. He’s a multi-weight champion for a reason.
And Canelo is beatable, although it’s extremely difficult. Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol have both stopped the man from Guadalajara, and some critics will tell you Golovkin did twice – although the record doesn’t show it.
Read the full article here
