Callum Smith wonders if Terence Crawford can handle Canelo Alvarez’s size when he moves up two divisions to fight him in September at super middleweight.
If Terence showed some gumption by moving to fight two or three of the predatory sharks in the 168lb division, fans would know if he’s up to it. Since Crawford doesn’t want to do it, all you can think is that he’s just here for the payday, and the fans will freak out afterwards, feeling like he got up out of their money.
Crawford is eager for that fight against the Mexican superstar, but he has done nothing to show if he can handle the weight jump.
Crawford Too Small?
Lightweight Smith, who shared the ring with Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs), when he competed at 168, points out that Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) began his career in the heavier weights down to 135. , To move two weight classes from 154 to fight Canelo at 168 is a “tough ask” size-wise.
Smith isn’t just counting out the 37-year-old Crawford, noting that Canelo is starting to show signs of age, but he still feels it will be tough for the Nebraska native.
Crawford hasn’t fought at super-middleweight, struggled to move up to 154 against Israil Madrimov, and is coming off a one-year ban from the ring if the fight with Canelo happens in September. If so, he will have been out of the ring for 13 months.
“It’s a great fight, they are both pound-for-pound stars and exceptional. It will be interesting to see how the weight affects Crawford moving (up to 168),” said Callum Smith to Pro Boxing fansThey are talking about the possible Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford in September.
“Like we saw with (former undisputed 154lb champion Jermell) Charlo. He’s a good fighter, but I couldn’t really match him (Canelo). It’s good to put the weight on, but there’s a natural size , and Crawford comes from the lower weights.
“He’s a four-weight world champion. So to pick up two more to fight against Canelo, it’s going to be a tough ask, but as we saw with (undisputed lightweight champion Artur) Beterbiev (in his recent close fight against Dmitry Bivol), Canelo is not getting any younger.
Spence Win A Fluke
Crawford was at his best at 135 and 140 when he had the size advantage against less-than-stellar opposition in those weight classes when he fought in them. At 147, Bud was slower and easier to hit, and it took a car accident wrecked, inactive, injury-plagued, and weight-drained Errol Spence to make Crawford look good.
Before that, he had not looked impressive in the fights against David Avanesyan, Jose Benavidez Jr., and Jeff Horn at welterweights. He was seen as an average fighter, better than those low quality guys, but not as a super talent.
It is interesting how much attention has been paid to Terence’s victory over Spence. Fans suddenly thought he was an entertaining KO artist and that he fought like that throughout his career.
That’s not how Crawford had looked or fought during his career. If fans had watched his entire career, as I had, they would have seen that he was a Shakur-esque engine and counter-puncher, and his knockouts came against older fighters.
Crawford’s recent Knockouts
Errol Spence: 34 years old
David Avanesyan: 35 years old
Shawn Porter: 34 years old
Kell Brook: 34
Amir Khan: 34 years old
“He’s had a tough career and he’s had injuries and things. As a boxing fan, I’m happy to see these types of fights that happen. Now, as a fan, I sit and watch. I’m waiting,” he said Smith on the Canelo vs. Crawford fight.
Canelo is slowing down at 34 and is not the fighter he was four years ago in 2021 when he captured the undisputed super middleweight championship against Calen Plant. However, he is much bigger and stronger and is a natural 168-pounder.
He is also four years younger than Crawford, who turns 38 in September and is coming off a poor performance against Israil Madrimov in his debut at 154 on August 3, 2024.
