One fight, massive stakes, and legacies hanging in the balance. On September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, a long-debated question in boxing will finally be answered. Billed as the “fight of the century,” this clash sees Canelo Alvarez downplaying any suggestion of a tight contest as Terence Crawford moves up from light-middleweight to challenge him. “He’s a great fighter but he’s not Canelo. I have the experience,” Canelo said. At 34, the 63-2 boxer may be three years younger than Crawford, but with a professional debut at just 15, 11 world titles, 27 world-title fights, and 67 bouts behind him, he steps into the ring as the seasoned veteran. Still, don’t count Crawford out. Friday’s press conference brought fireworks, and now even Claressa Shields has joined the chorus weighing in on this colossal showdown.

Claressa Shields couldn’t help but chime in on X yesterday with just a 5-word response, posting, “🌶️ 🥵 It’s heating up mighty quick !!!!” And if you watched Friday’s press conference, you’d know exactly what she was referring to. Things got tense when the MC directed a question at Canelo Alvarez, asking, “You’ve accepted this fight now, but in the preview years you said it doesn’t interest you because you have nothing to gain and everything to lose. If he were to beat you, how damaging would that be for you?”

Canelo Alvarez responded with calm confidence: “He’s [Terence Crawford] not going to beat me. Don’t worry about it. I think this fight is going to be on the books of history of boxing for sure. That’s for sure.” Terence Crawford didn’t hold back either, firing back with bold claims of his own.

“For sure, them belts coming with me. They’re coming home with me. I’m telling you right now.” To that, the Guadalajara native replied firmly, “You can see it. But it’s gonna be difficult to take them home.” The world champion of four-weight classes, doubling down, said, “I am taking them and there ain’t nothing you are going to be able to do about that come fight night.”

However, trying to ease the intensity with a bit of humor, Canelo Alvarez joked, “I know Turki [Alalshikh] is in your corner, but look it’s gonna be very difficult. He’s gonna be so mad that day believe me.” But the 41-0 boxer wasn’t backing down. “I see you, you see. I’m different than all the other ones,” he said. Canelo Alvarez responded quickly, “I see you are not different. Nothing different.” Crawford insisted once again, “I am different.” Canelo, unfazed, ended the exchange with, “We’ll see.”

With this showdown already shaping up to be the most anticipated boxing match in years, speculation is swirling on both sides. Some are backing Canelo Alvarez’s power and experience; others are siding with Crawford’s precision and momentum. But now, Canelo Alvarez himself has addressed why he believes he holds the upper hand

Why Canelo Alvarez Might Be Terence Crawford’s Toughest Puzzle Yet

Undefeated Terence Crawford is taking a bold leap by jumping up two weight classes to challenge Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super-middleweight title on September 13 in Las Vegas. Canelo, who recently reclaimed all four world titles with a dominant win over William Scull, enters the bout in his preferred division and believes his physical advantages and experience will be too much for Bud Crawford to handle. “I’ve been not favourite, a favourite. I’ve been in both situations but I’m going to be very disciplined,” Canelo Alvarez said. “I have experience, power and I believe I have advantages on my weight. It’s going to be a good fight but I’m here to win.”

Meanwhile, Crawford, a four-weight world champion, remains unfazed by critics questioning his decision to move up. Instead, he’s using the skepticism as fuel. “It just motivates me to go out there and put on a great performance. This is my homecoming fight,” Crawford said, making it clear that he’s stepping into the ring with full intent to win, regardless of how it comes.

On the other side, Canelo is just as fired up, calling this bout one of the most important of his storied career. “This is going to be one of my best fights in my history. For me it’s very important to win this fight. I love boxing. I love winning. I’m a winner so I’m very excited to be in the ring already.”

Despite the tension building toward the fight, fans were surprised to see both fighters share a dinner ahead of the bout, sparking criticism online. Now, with Canelo Alvarez oozing confidence in his power and ring IQ, and Terence Crawford entering with the sharpest skills of his generation, the clash promises fireworks. So, what do you make of Canelo Alvarez’s claims? Will his size and strength make this an easy win? Or can Crawford shock the world once again? And if he falls short, could this be the end of Crawford’s legendary career?