It remains one of the most highly anticipated matchups in modern boxing. A clash between two master craftsmen. But a few challenges persist, keeping Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez away from an epic showdown. Keeping aside the challenges outside the ring, the most prohibitive threat to the fight remains the sheer weight gap. Till a few months ago, when he reigned over the welterweight division, Crawford would have had to climb over three weight classes to face the Mexican superstar.

With a move to the light middleweight, he might have bridged the gap. But he still has two divisions to reconcile with. Many cite Jermell Charlo’s example. Then one might as well recall the tightly contested duel when Israil Madrimov took Crawford the whole distance for the first time since 2016. After all, it is Canelo Alvarez we’re talking about. Perhaps that could be the reason why Regis Prograis joined many well-wishers who believe the Nebraskan southpaw should desist the temptation for such an adventure.

Regis Prograis: It might be better to reconsider bro

Nearly a year after Devin Haney inflicted a second career loss on him, ‘Rougarou’ will return to face Jack Catterall for a non-title bout. He joined Fight Hub TV for an interview. Halfway through the discussion, the discourse shifts towards the contentious issue of weight.

The interviewer pointed at the weight disparity between him and Haney during the December 9 fight. How Oleksandr Usyk fought the much heavier Tyson Fury. More relevantly, Crawford might have expressed a keen interest in fighting the super middleweight champion. But there’s a big possibility of Alvarez eventually facing the much bigger David Benavidez.

So the interviewer asked, “Do you think for a guy like Terence Crawford the last thing he should be doing is fighting at 168 pounds against someone like Canelo?” “No, I don’t; I never thought,” replied the former light welterweight champion. Prograis explained how he admired Terence Crawford.

“I think Crawford is not just a great fighter right now. I think Crawford is all-time great. You know, look at his records and what he’s done. Crawford is all-time great, for sure. You got to put him in that category,” he said. However, the fight against Madrimov seemed to have shaken Regis Prograis’ confidence. Though Crawford won the fight unanimously, many acknowledged that Israil Madrimov gave a good account of himself, stretching the former undisputed champion through a neck-and-neck bout.

In Canelo Alvarez, Crawford would be facing a champion who is not just a powerful puncher. The unified champion has time and again exhibited excellent ring IQ. Prograis concluded, “I don’t see him, you know, doing nothing like that with, um, yeah, with Canelo.”

Counsel from a master

To many fans, Prograis’ views might resonate with Roy Jones Jr.‘s words. The living legend also cautioned Terence Crawford against a hasty matchup with Canelo Alvarez. Following the Charlo fight, he shared his thoughts with Fight Hub TV. Jones Jr. said, “I think he (Canelo Alvarez) is a little big for Crawford.”

The 2022 Boxing Hall of Fame inductee felt that Crawford should first excel in light middleweight against someone like Jermell Charlo. “If he does good against Charlo with the weight, then let’s see him come up and fight Canelo, yes, but not right now. I want to see Crawford come up the weight classes and show he can be dominant at 154,” said Roy Jones Jr.

Clearly, the weight gap is considerable. At each level until the 168 pounds, the challenges will mount. Therefore, Crawford and team may need to exercise due diligence and approach the Canelo challenge with discretion.

What is your opinion? Do you think Terence Crawford would be able to fight Canelo Alvarez with the same relative ease he demonstrated against Errol Spence Jr.?