Ex-Champ Warns Canelo Ahead of $200M Crawford Superfight – “Not Faced an Opponent Like This”

If there is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ fight that boxing fans are eagerly anticipating, it’s the $200 million undisputed super middleweight clash between Terence Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford has pursued a showdown with Canelo for years, not out of rivalry, but out of deep respect and admiration. At 37, the American star has repeatedly praised the Mexican powerhouse, viewing this fight as the ultimate opportunity to cement his legacy. Now, with two elite champions set to collide in about six weeks, the burning question is: who will stand atop the division when the dust settles? Most boxing analysts already see Canelo Alvarez winning the showdown. But there are those who feel otherwise.

With Shakur Stevenson, Claressa Shields, Keyshawn Davis, Dmitry Bivol, Timothy Bradley Jr., and many others already backing Terence Crawford to overcome the weight disadvantage due to his superior skill set, another notable voice has now joined the chorus. Who, you ask? Just a few hours ago, Pro Boxing Fans shared a post on Instagram with the caption that read, “HE KNOWS HOW THIS ENDS” 🧠, featuring Antonio Tarver’s verdict on the highly anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford mega showdown.

“Terence has to be Terence, bro. He’s a real deep thinker. He processes fights like nobody else,” Tarver said. “He’s already processed this Canelo fight. He’s seen it. He’s gone through it two or three times already. He knows how this ends. You can tell by the way he shadowboxes. He’s visualizing Canelo right there in front of him, you understand? Look at the movement. That’s all you gotta do.” Continuing to praise Crawford, the unified light heavyweight world champion added, “Look at the movement, that’s the type of master boxer Canelo is going to be facing. And the only thing I’ll say is, Canelo hasn’t faced an opponent like this in a long time. You know what I mean?”

The 56-year-old further added that he believes Canelo will need to revisit the form he showed in his 2021 fight against Caleb Plant. Despite dropping ‘Sweethands’ twice in the 11th round, Tarver feels Alvarez must prepare for a similarly intense and high-paced battle. “I think Canelo is going to have to go back to the Caleb Plant fight and look that good, that active, you feel me? Moving with that type of grace to beat Terence Crawford. Because weight isn’t going to make a difference, it’s going to be the skill set.” Tarver appears fully convinced that Bud Crawford will emerge victorious, a belief now echoed by another undefeated boxer who is set to step into the ring in just a few hours.

Why Shu Shu Carrington thinks Terence Crawford’s ‘dog’ mentality could stun Canelo

Bruce ‘Shu Shu’ Carrington, who is set to face fellow undefeated fighter Mateus Heita on July 26 for the WBC Interim World Featherweight title, has a strong belief that Terence Crawford might shock the world against Canelo Alvarez. Appearing recently on The Ariel Helwani Show, Carrington was asked bluntly by Helwani if he thought the southpaw from Omaha could beat Alvarez. Without hesitation, he replied, “Yeah, in my opinion, I think that Terence beats Canelo.” While many have speculated that Alvarez’s size and experience could pose a significant advantage, Carrington dismissed the notion, suggesting that Canelo only appears bigger due to his broad back and overall frame.

Carrington, however, acknowledged that Terence Crawford found Israil Madrimov’s power challenging in their recent bout, which could be concerning when facing Alvarez, a naturally stronger and more powerful fighter. He also noted that Madrimov was able to land effective shots, particularly the straight right hand, a weapon that Alvarez wields with exceptional proficiency. Carrington further pointed out that the 63-2 boxer has dropped southpaw opponents like Austin Trout with that very punch, underlining the danger Crawford will face in the ring.

Despite recognizing these threats, Carrington remains confident that Terence Crawford will have his hand raised at the end of the fight. “He has the better footwork; he has the speed. He’s a switch hitter, he’s more versatile, he has what it takes to win,” Carrington said. So, with both camps preparing to bring their best on fight night, who do you think will have their hand raised? And do you agree with Antonio Tarver’s assessment of this mega showdown?