Canelo vs. Crawford: A Generational Clash on Mexican Independence Day
The weekend of Mexican Independence Day, traditionally one of the most important for boxing, does not disappoint this year. Mexican superstar, Canelo Álvarez, will put his undisputed super middleweight championship on the line against former undisputed two-division champion, Terence Crawford, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday. An event billed as “Once in a Lifetime”, this bout features two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.
Crawford, ascending two weight classes, will seek to become the first male boxer to be undisputed champion in three divisions of the “four-belt” era. For Canelo, this could be the most difficult challenge since his defeat to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
This showdown will define the legacy of both boxers, with Canelo and Crawford seeking to secure their place in boxing history.
Why is Canelo fighting Crawford?
The short answer is: it lacked options and Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh, the most influential man in boxing, wanted this fight.
After losing to Bivol, Canelo has opted for the path of least resistance, facing less demanding rivals. Meanwhile, Crawford has been lurking, seeking this opportunity since his victory over Errol Spence Jr. in 2023.
“If I win, nobody is going to say: ‘Oh, he beat Crawford because [Canelo] is a good fighter'”, Canelo said after his victory over Berlanga in September 2024. “He’s also a pound-for-pound great, but he’s smaller. You’ll start to see ‘but he’s small and this’. But if the money is good, why not at this point in my career?”.
Canelo Álvarez
After the fight with Berlanga, Canelo negotiated with Jake Paul, but Alalshikh intervened with an offer of four fights for 400 million dollars that Canelo couldn’t refuse, setting the stage for this Saturday.
Is Crawford a 154-pound champion?
Yes, but it will cease to be so when the fight with Canelo begins. Crawford won the WBA title in August 2024, in his only fight at 154 pounds. The American boxer will vacate the title once the bell rings.
Abass Baraou, current interim WBA super welterweight champion, will be elevated to full champion.
Has Canelo moved up in weight to challenge another champion?
In addition to the fight with Bivol, Canelo defeated Sergey Kovalev in 2019 to win the WBO light heavyweight belt, adding a world title in a fourth division. However, Kovalev was at the end of his career.
How does Crawford’s weight class jump differ from Canelo’s?
Crawford has never competed at 160 pounds, let alone at 168. Furthermore, he’s challenging the undisputed champion, instead of having a warm-up fight. The difficulty for Crawford is much greater.
Why is Crawford risking so much?
After his victory over Spence, Crawford had no renowned rivals. Facing Canelo offers him much more, although with a significant risk.
If he loses, his undefeated record and his status as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world will be affected.
Is this the biggest fight of the century?
No, that honor belongs to the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in 2015. The fight between Mayweather and Conor McGregor in 2017 generated more revenue. However, Canelo vs. Crawford could be a better fight than either of those matchups.
It is expected that the Canelo-Crawford event will attract a crowd of 65,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium.
Have Canelo or Crawford fought in a stadium?
This will be Canelo’s third fight in an NFL stadium, while Crawford will compete for the first time on the field of the Las Vegas Raiders. Canelo fought Liam Smith in 2016 and Billy Joe Saunders in 2021 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
How could the fight develop?
Both boxers do not have a high volume of punches, so the fight could be a chess game. Canelo will try to use his size, while Crawford will use his footwork and counterattacks to attack the champion.
It’s unlikely that Crawford will just survive as other Canelo rivals have. Canelo is the favorite to win.
Will the winner be the best pound for pound?
Just for Crawford, who could climb to the top spot if he beats Canelo. However, if Canelo wins, he is unlikely to reach the top spot.
Are there any other fights I should watch on the card?
The WBC interim super middleweight champion, Christian Mbilli, will face Lester Martinez. The co-main event between Callum Walsh and Fernando Vargas Jr. is also promising.
