It takes a rare champion’s mindset to risk it all in pursuit of legacy—and Terence Crawford has that in abundance. The two-weight undisputed king from Omaha, Nebraska, and future Hall of Famer is now setting his sights on perhaps the biggest challenge of his career, a showdown with former undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. To conquer ‘Cinnamon,’ Crawford will need every ounce of skill, heart, and grit he’s ever possessed.

But perhaps the most grueling challenge for Crawford will be the climb to 168 pounds—two full weight classes above where he last competed. That’s exactly why average sweet science enjoyers believe the Mexican superstar will steamroll ‘Bud’ when the night finally arrives. As Crawford slowly puts on the weight, his latest physique update has sent fans into a frenzy across social media, fueling speculation that he might have bitten off more than he could chew. 

Terence Crawford: Can skill outweigh size? 

You see, moving up weight classes is nothing new for Terence Crawford. The 37-year-old has competed in four different divisions—lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, and junior middleweight—and claimed world titles in each. There’s little the brilliant switch-hitter hasn’t conquered in his storied career, thanks to his exceptional skills and razor-sharp boxing IQ.

In fact, some even argue that ‘Bud’ is levels above Canelo Alvarez in terms of pure talent. But still, for many, the weight disparity and the power disadvantage alone give Canelo the edge. And it’s not without reason—boxing history is littered with examples of great fighters moving up to challenge bigger champions, only to fall short. Yet, legends like Manny Pacquiao and Roy Jones Jr. have proven that defying the odds is possible.

Crawford, however, has yet to craft that same mythical image for himself at the higher weights. And when Source of Boxing shared an alleged physique update of the Nebraska native on X, fans were quick to chime in—with many predicting that Crawford’s ambitious leap could end in a fall from grace.

Canelo Alvarez wins the fight in the comments

The fight itself, scheduled for September 13th at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, is months away. This means ‘Bud’ will have ample time to get used to the new weight, but people have other ideas. One user mocked Crawford’s big size, suggesting he looked like a 50-year-old man. “That look[s] like a 50-year-old man[‘s] body, lol 😂 When I first glimpse[d] at the picture, I thought it was an OG in prison lol,” the user explained himself. However, that might have something to do with the picture quality than Crawford himself. 

Meanwhile, this user refused to believe the picture of Crawford was current but rejoiced that Crawford’s abs were still visible. “I doubt the authenticity, but even if it is real, the guy still has [abs],” the user came out in support. Honestly, Crawford doesn’t need to be shredded at this point in time, but he does need to plan his steps ahead. 

Another user was convinced, witnessing Crawford’s new physique, that Canelo Alvarez would get his hand raised come fight night. “Canelo [is going to] stop his goofy a**,” the user wrote. While Canelo’s power does pose a threat, he hasn’t scored a knockout in a while. 

The next user had a similar view of Crawford’s new physique but went a step further. “Yeah, he’s definitely getting knocked out, this will be Canelo’s easiest fight lol,” the user predicted. However, hordes of experts and veterans in boxing seem to disagree. 

While others were siding with Canelo, this user was simply rude. “Looks like a bum,” wrote the user. Crawford will aim to prove these critics wrong with his fight. 

That said, many fans aren’t exactly brimming with confidence after seeing Crawford’s current physique. But with plenty of time left before fight night, ‘Bud’ can still fine-tune and get in peak shape. What’s your take on Terence Crawford’s shape right now?