As the mega-fight between top Pound-for-Pound champions Terence Crawford and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez approaches, we asked our forum members for their early thoughts:
Super_Fly_Fam
“I’m looking forward to it. I get the size and weight class differences but I think Bud deserves it if he wants it. Canelo also has done more than just about everyone and will be calling it a day soon. I do believe Bud stylistically has the tools to get the job done. Can he? I don’t know. Heart says Bud. Head leans to Canelo.”
Bullet_Bowen
“Canelo surely takes this, he has a serious weight and age advantage. Crawford’s been nowhere near as active as Canelo, and I wasn’t overly convinced with Bud’s performance against Madrimov….I can only see it going one way. I can’t see anyone from a lower weight class troubling Canelo until he gets past 36 anyway; that said, if there’s one man who can do it, I guess it’s Crawford.”
JeffJ
“Very few in this sport take the opportunity to truly reach for greatness. Bud is doing so in jumping two weight classes to vie for the undisputed belts in a third weight class. Obviously Canelo is taking what he deems to be a relatively safe fight here, but at this stage in his career will need to be motivated and in shape to get the win. I expect a high level chess match with adjustments on top of adjustments that purists will enjoy.”
Eddie Warren
“Crawford will look competitive early in the fight but once Canelo gets into his rhythm, he will systematically break down Crawford for a late stoppage. Crawford is a great fighter but you can’t give away a combination of size, age and inactivity and expect to beat Alvarez. Even an Alvarez that is on the decline himself.”
Remy
“I think Crawford is going to spend the first 4 rounds playing the negative game and trying to see how much he can get away with in order to win a round without getting put in danger. Canelo is going to drop him hard around the midway point. Then I think Crawford is going to get dragged into exchanges and beaten up in the latter half of the fight. And it ends up a 115-113 split either way.”
Vic Mackey
“I initially thought when this fight was first mooted that Canelo would be way too big and strong for him, but after seeing his performances against Berlanga and Scull, I’m now slightly leaning towards Crawford to outbox him clearly enough to a 116-112/117-111 type of decision in a fight that is pretty sparse and dull in action but massively intriguing throughout from a narrative point of view.”
