Trainer Stephen Edwards believes Terence Crawford has enough size, strength, conditioning, and technical skills to move up to 168 and defeat unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Edwards thinks Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) couldn’t beat David Benavidez, David Morrell, Artur Beterbiev, or Dmitry Bivol. Those guys are too big and too technical for the 37-year-old Crawford. But Canelo, 34, (62-2-2, 39 KOs) is starting to show signs of age, and he is beating Crawford.
Champion at Risk
Canelo will turn 35 on July 18, and has failed to knock out his last six opponents. His last elimination occurred three years ago against Caleb Plant on November 6, 2021.
The Mexican star has not indicated that he will fight Crawford, and he will not accept the fight unless he feels that he can win. His net worth is estimated at $250 million. Therefore, any amount of money Turki Alalshikh could offer Alvarez will not entice him to take the Crawford fight unless he wants it. He already has enough money to live richly for 20 years, and he can continue to make many millions per fight, easily facing opposition.
“Yeah, I think he can go up to 168 and fight some people. Do I think he can fight Benavidez or Morrell? No, they are too big, too skilled, and too tall. We have a lot to overcome,” said Stephen Edwards talking to Fighthype about Terence Crawford being too young to fight Benavidez or Morrell at super middleweight.
“Canelo comes from the light weights and the height is the same as Crawford. I actually think Crawford is a little taller. Crawford’s arms are much longer, and he has a much better gas tank. I never saw Crawford tired.
“Canelo, let’s leave it to the boys today that when he was running very well, he used to block them. Now, he’s giving them up because he doesn’t have that extra boost in his gas tank. If Bud fought Canelo at 168, Bud would be full of calories. “He could eat whatever he wanted at any time of the day,” said Edward.
Crawford is getting very old, too, at 37, and he almost lost his debut at 154 against Israel Madrimov on August 3. He won’t be able to win rounds against Canelo with the weak shots he was landing on Madrimov. Those punches look weak compared to when he was fighting at 147, 140 and 135.
The judges will give Canelo a chance to face Crawford, even if he works. If Canelo’s shots are too heavy, he will win the rounds. Crawford doesn’t hit as hard as Jermell Charlo or Erislandy Lara, and those guys were too strong against Canelo.
Genius at Work?
“His strength will be gone. He will probably enter the ring at 159 or 160 lbs. There is no need to enter 168 because that is the weight limit. He needs to be quick in that fight,” Edwards said of Crawford.
“I told him [Crawford]That battle was fought that night [against Viktor Postol at 140, eight years ago on July 23, 2016]that’s the fight that won Canelo.’ He said with a smile. I think Bud is a genius, and sometimes, when you’re genius, you don’t know you’re genius. He has the ability to make changes in battles.”
The fight against Viktor Postol was long ago when Crawford was 28 years old. He’s now 37, and he doesn’t look as young, as fast, or as young as he did in the Postol fight. Crawford has grown up. Therefore, comparing this version of Crawford to the one that he fought with Postol to use as an argument for why he will beat Canelo is absurd. That version of Crawford is gone.
That was another person. If he was a horrible puncher like Artur Beterbiev, it wouldn’t be a big deal that Crawford isn’t as young as he used to be. He is not a heavy hitter and wins his fights with speed, brains, and boxing skills. That won’t be enough in his current state to beat Canelo, and the judges won’t do anything for him.
“I don’t think he can beat guys like Bivol and Beterbiev. “I think that’s overkill, but Canelo,” Edwards said. “He is a mighty warrior, but my eyes tell me he is slowing down. Canelo who fought Berlanga. Three years ago, Canelo was going to knock out Berlanga. That’s not fighting. That is social murder.
“The fact that he let Berlanga go a long way. He let Munguia go some distance. He let Charlo go some distance. Bud’s movement, posture, and strength. Bud is much stronger than people realize. I’m not saying he’s stronger than Canelo. You are strong enough. It’s not a weightlifting competition,” Edwards said.
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