“Errol Spence Jr. Picks Terence Crawford to Beat Canelo Alvarez, Despite Weight Challenge”
In the ever-evolving landscape of boxing, matchmaker extraordinaire His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has set his sights on a potential blockbuster bout: a clash between two undisputed champions, Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. This tantalizing matchup, teased by Alalshikh in an interview with Ariel Helwani, could potentially headline an event slated for late this year or early the next, promising fireworks and intrigue for fight fans worldwide.
Canelo Alvarez, fresh from a masterful display against Jaime Munguia, is currently biding his time for the right challenge, while Terence Crawford gears up for a super-welterweight clash against Israil Madrimov in August, aiming to expand his legacy as a four-division world champion. The prospect of Crawford moving up to challenge Alvarez at 168 pounds looms large, prompting speculation about his ability to bridge the weight gap.
Amidst this backdrop, Errol Spence Jr., undeterred by his previous defeat to Crawford, has thrown his support behind his former rival, endorsing Crawford’s bid to overcome Alvarez in what would be a monumental test of skill and courage.
“working on Canelo and Crawford card” in America, and wants to book it for the “end of the year or beginning of the second year.”
“I’d be going for Bud,” stated Spence Jr. in an interview with FightHype, emphasizing Crawford’s pursuit of greatness. “If Crawford wants to challenge himself to be great, let him try. He’s chasing greatness,” he added, acknowledging the daunting challenge Crawford faces in stepping up to face Alvarez.
Crawford, known for his versatility and technical prowess, is already bulking up for his upcoming bout against Madrimov, having added 21 pounds to his frame. The notion of him gaining an additional fourteen pounds to reach 168 pounds doesn’t seem far-fetched to Spence Jr., who pointed to Alvarez’s own weight trajectory from welterweight to light-heavyweight.
“Canelo went up to 175 and fought Kovalev. If he can do it, starting at 147, why can’t Crawford do it?” Spence Jr. queried, highlighting the precedent set by Alvarez’s ascent through the weight classes.
“If Crawford wants to challenge himself to be great, let him try to be great. I’m with it. I’d be going for Bud. I don’t know if he’d win or lose, but if anybody can pull it off, he can pull it off. He’s chasing greatness,” he said.
Canelo went up to 175 and fought Kovalev and the other guy [Dmitry Bivol], too. If he can do it, and he started at 147, if he can do it, why can’t Crawford do it,”
However, not everyone shares Spence Jr.’s optimism about Crawford’s chances against Alvarez at 168 pounds. Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, expressed reservations about the matchup, suggesting that Alvarez might prefer a showdown with David Benavidez, citing greater recognition and credibility in victory.
“I think he’d pick Benavidez over Crawford because he knows he’d get the credit for that win, whereas he might not against a guy three divisions lower,” explained Hearn in an interview with FightHub TV, underscoring the strategic considerations in Alvarez’s camp.
Hearn said, “I think he’d pick Benavidez over Crawford because he knows he’d get the credit for that win, whereas he might not vs a guy three divisions lower.”
The weight disparity remains a critical factor in the potential matchup. While Crawford has proven his mettle across multiple weight classes, including his recent dominance at super-welterweight, Alvarez has entrenched himself in the 168-pound division since 2018, securing titles and accolades.
“When I met Saul, he wasn’t keen on that [Crawford] fight,” Hearn had earlier disclosed to talkSPORT. “He felt that you have a welterweight coming up to light-middleweight, going up to super-middleweight, and that he wouldn’t get any credit for that win,” he added, echoing concerns about the perceived mismatch in weight classes.
“When I met Saul, he wasn’t crazy on that [Crawford] fight,” Hearn had said in an earlier interview with talkSPORT. “He just felt that you have got a welterweight coming up to light-middleweight, going up to super-middleweight, and that he wouldn’t get any credit for that win,” he added.
As the speculation swirls and negotiations potentially unfold, the prospect of Crawford challenging Alvarez remains a tantalizing storyline in boxing. Can Crawford overcome the weight challenge and topple one of boxing’s most formidable champions? Only time will tell.
