Experts have their say ahead of the Canelo Alvarez versus Terence Crawford undisputed super-middleweight championship clash in Las Vegas.
Steve Collins (Boxing legend)
I’m a Canelo fan, I think he’s got the talent to win. Some people think he might be overlooking Crawford, underestimating Crawford. I hope not because if he does, he’s in trouble.
Crawford is a very good fighter and Crawford has the ability to beat Canelo. If the Canelo we know, that’s always been there, shows up I believe he’ll beat Crawford.
Every time he fights he risks his legacy. That’s why he’s a legend. He’s got great mental strength, great physique and great boxing ability and brain.
As long as he still has that he’s going to be a very hard guy to beat.
Brian Norman (WBO welterweight champion)
I got Crawford. Everything is against him. The age, the size, everything is supposedly against him. Of course, I love going for the underdog.
The main thing Crawford’s got is [his mindset]. That’s what a lot of people miss.
[Some opponents] they just go in and they just give up. We’ve seen that with Jermell Charlo and Canelo. He didn’t real deal try.
Belief is the biggest thing of all.
Conor Benn (World ranked welterweight)
It’s a hard one because you’ve got to say Canelo has fought at a higher level for a longer period of time at a higher weight. Also knocked people out at the higher weight. For [Crawford] the problem is he’s coming up not one division, not two divisions, three divisions with no rehydration clause. The weight is heavily going to play a factor. It has to. Do I think Crawford will be sharper? I do but then again Canelo’s resume is Canelo’s resume.
Gary Logan (Toe2Toe boxing expert)
I’ve got Canelo winning. Big at the weight, being longer at the weight. Crawford looks in tremendous condition. The game plan I think is to push Canelo back on the backfoot. If he gets that success then it’s 60-40 in Crawford’s favour. But I’ve just got to go with the man that’s done it for so long at this weight so convincingly.
Chris Eubank Jr says he wants to face the winner of Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford once he’s ‘dispatched’ Conor Benn a second time.
Amir Khan (Former world champion)
I’m the only guy to share the ring with both guys. I’ve always said both fighters are great, they’re both great 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 he had. He has a lot of power. That’s one thing Crawford has to worry about. The size and the power.
I saw a picture of Crawford where he was weighing around 180lbs. He looked strong, looked big and I think he holds the weight well. He’s another fighter that’s very strong, very powerful.
I do lean more towards Crawford in this fight because he’s the fresher fighter. He hasn’t been in too many wars, like Canelo’s been in. But look, this is top level boxing so I don’t know who’s going to win but I do lean more towards Crawford.
Speaking on Toe2Toe, Amir Khan predicts Terence Crawford will beat Canelo Alvarez in their upcoming bout on September 13th.
David Coldwell (Top trainer)
As soon as the fight was announced I was thinking Crawford. The only reason being it’s this version of Canelo. The trunk’s slower, go back to the Danny Jacobs fight and his head movement was fantastic – he’s even stopped doing that.
Crawford’s IQ, ring generalship and distance control as a southpaw especially could allow him to box.
I expect him to get caught and get hurt, but with single shots, and I think he’s good enough and clever enough to negate the follow up attack, to get his composure back and to get his distance back.
I’m going for Crawford on points.
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