WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames 23-1 (18) vehemently objects to the idea of Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 40-0 (31) jumping up in weight to face undisputed super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 61-2-2 (39).
Crawford won his first world title as a lightweight a decade ago before moving up to unify all four major world titles at junior welterweight. He repeated the feat at welterweight.
The 36-year-old switch-hitter from Omaha, Nebraska will return to the ring in two months time when he moves up in weight again to challenge WBA junior middleweight champion Uzbeki Israil Madrimov 10-0-1 (7) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California on August 3 on a card financed by boxing kingmaker Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.
Alalshikh has changed the sport on boxing in less than a year. With a seemingly unlimited budget, he can offer the sort or purses that make any fight possible.
And one fight he wants is Crawford up against 33-year-old Mexican superstar Alvarez.
But not everybody is down with the idea. Dominican Adames, 30, is amongst the critics.
“Weight classes are there for a reason. Terence Crawford is one hell of a fighter, there’s no doubt about that, but he’s the type of agile fighter that has power, but his type of power resides in a division that bodes well for him,” Adames explained to FightHype.
“When I sparred with him, I had two pro fights in my ledger. I was more of an amateur at that time at 19. If he were to fight me now, over a decade [later], I’m 30 now and a full-grown man now. I was a kid back then. It would be a completely different deal.”
Adames cited Alvarez’s ill-fated visit to 175-pounds when he challenged WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol 23-0 (12) two years ago. Alvarez was roundly out-boxed and returned to 168-pounds.
“When it comes to weight classes, look at what Canelo did with Bivol. He couldn’t hurt him at 175 the way he hurt his opponents at 168. Why? Because the weight difference between Bivol and Canelo was evident,” said Adames, who will defend his own belt against 36-year-old US Olympian Terrell Gausha 24-3-1 (12) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 15.
“Canelo, on the other hand, would be able to hurt Crawford in a way that he usually does at 168 because of the weight advantage.
“So to summarise, I think this fight is absolutely stupid. I don’t think it makes any sense at all and if Crawford wants to make it happen, I think he should do his progression and fight Canelo at that weight when the time is right.”
Adames was elevated from WBC interim champion to full titleholder last month when the Mexican-based sanctioning body stripped troubled American Jermall Charlo 33-0 (22) of their belt.
