Canelo Alvarez found himself at the center of attention earlier this month—but not for the reasons he might have hoped. In his bout against William Scull, the two-time undisputed super middleweight champion delivered a lackluster performance, struggling to counter Scull’s evasive, movement-heavy strategy. Among those watching closely from the ringside was Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren, who had some pointed thoughts on the fight.

The bout turned out to be a snoozefest, with both fighters combining for just 445 punches, setting a new CompuBox record for the lowest number ever thrown in a 12-round fight. Even more telling, Canelo managed only to throw 152 punches, the second-fewest ever recorded by a single boxer over 12 rounds. This underwhelming showing has led Queensberry boss Frank Warren to believe that the Mexican superstar might soon become a prime target for one of his top fighters.

“I thought it was a very close fight and, I’ve got to be honest, if Scull could have punched, he could have won that fight,” Warren told The Ring. He went on to put Alvarez on alert by suggesting that if Hamzah Sheeraz can conquer Edgar Berlanga, then Canelo could be his next target. “Twenty years as a pro, he’s been doing it since he was a kid and it’s a funny thing, you look at him and you think to yourself, ‘If Hamzah Sheeraz can beat [Edgar] Berlanga, then I’ve got to fancy him to have a chance of beating [Canelo].’”

Sheeraz is coming off a split decision draw against Carlos Adames earlier this year in Riyadh. Now, he is primed for the biggest fight of his career against Berlanga, who bounced back from his loss to Canelo by defeating Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz earlier this year. The pair will fight at the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens on July 12th. “It was. There was part of that in it, but the other thing is that he wanted to be challenged and I think Berlanga’s style — and I hope I’m right — could be [made for him] and I want to see it, especially after that last fight he had where he was struggling at the weight,” Warren said about Sheeraz’s next fight.

But before Canelo Alvarez can even consider a showdown with Sheeraz, he faces a much bigger challenge on the horizon—and Shakur Stevenson seems to have a clear idea of whether Alvarez is up to the task.

Shakur Stevenson predicts Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford

Shakur Stevenson has made a bold prediction ahead of the highly anticipated clash between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford on September 13. The WBC lightweight champion believes Crawford will come out on top, despite moving up two weight classes to face the undisputed super middleweight king.

Speaking to FightHub TV, Stevenson said, “I think Bud gonna cook Canelo. Canelo is a helluva fighter, but I think Bud’s got all the tools to beat him.” While many believe the size difference could be a deciding factor, Stevenson disagrees. “I think y’all are making that something… with Canelo, he’s like physically kinda big, but height-wise, he’s kinda small. So, I don’t think so, no,” Stevenson added.

He even acknowledged the possibility of a stoppage, saying, “I think that’s possible… if Canelo gets to acting out of line and not understanding that ‘Bud’ can crack too.”

That said, it appears Frank Warren has a big game plan ready for his boxer Hamzah Sheeraz, but can he defeat Edgar Berlanga? Only time will tell; until then, share your predictions for the fight.