Former two-weight undisputed champion Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 40-0 (31) has the skills to jump up to super middleweight to challenge undisputed 168-pound champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez 61-2-2 (39) and be competitive, according to one top trainer.
But Robert Garcia believes that despite his obvious skills, the 36-year-old southpaw will ultimately come undone in the later rounds.
“I think it is a big fight because Crawford is huge pound-for-pound number one or number two or number for a lot of people and he does have skills,” Garcia said to KO Artist Sports.
“It’ll be a fight that does really good numbers. I think it’s a fight that will sell. Crawford will put up some good rounds. I think that Canelo is the bigger guy and more experienced and I think in the later rounds, he’ll catch him and maybe stop him.
“But Crawford will put up a good fight. I know that for a fact.”
Garcia isn’t the only one tipping a strong showing from Crawford if the fight against the 33-year-old Mexican superstar gets made.
Ex-WBA and IBF middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs thinks the naturally smaller man can get the job done.
“Skills sometimes pay the bills and we know that Crawford has the skills for Canelo,” Jacobs said to Fight Hub TV.
“Sometimes power, weight and experience is that. So it’ll be a good test for Crawford, but the fans are the winner in that particular fight if it pans out.”
Before Crawford can turn his mind to Alvarez in earnest, he must first get past WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov 10-0-1 (7) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California on August 3.
“But Crawford has a tough one now [against Madrimov],” Jacobs continued. “I’m going to be in the building supporting him on that night. I’m a big fan of his and I’m looking forward to all he accomplishes.”
Crawford has successfully moved up in weight since winning his first world title at lightweight a decade ago. His last 18 bouts have been world title fights and he has knocked out all but three of those opponents.
He became undisputed champion at junior welterweight and welterweight, with the Madrimov fight marking his 154-pound debut. The Alvarez fight would take place two divisions and 12-pounds north of there.
Jacobs isn’t sure if Crawford’s sublime skills will be enough to overcome Alvarez’s superior size and power, but he would like to find out.
“That’s a possibility. We’ve seen it time and time again and we’ve seen the opposite way,” he said.
“Tyson Fury, he was actually a lighter guy in the amateurs and he grew up to be a fast heavyweight and so he was able to adjust.
“It’s about seeing, it’s about knowing and it’s about actually getting there and experience.
“But this will be a good test for Crawford this upcoming Madrimov [fight].”
