From ‘How this is the “biggest fight in boxing”?‘ to ‘I’m looking forward to it‘, on what is probably one of, if not the, biggest showdowns of the decade, that’s how Oscar De La Hoya‘s view seemingly transitioned, within a span of ten days. But for how long do you think De La Hoya could keep himself aloof from voicing his opinion on Canelo Alvarez‘s matchup against Terence Crawford?

Though a venue has yet to be finalized, Canelo and Crawford are now slated for a square-off on September 13. The fight, the way it could possibly pan out, and many other variables are being hotly debated. Now, just a few days ago, fans witnessed Oscar De La Hoya going on a rant about the fight and the fighters, both on the wrong side of 35. So in a recent interview, he expressed an interest in watching the fight. However, when it came to winning odds, De La Hoya nonetheless seemed uncertain about Canelo’s prospects. Well, given his volatile equations with the Mexican superstar, that’s understandable, isn’t it?

Fight Hub TV shared footage of De La Hoya’s latest response. With his partner, Holly Sonders, in tow, as he walked through a lobby, the former world champion spoke about his now-viral tweet where he highlighted Canelo and Crawford’s age. His intention was not to criticize but rather to state some facts. “The facts are that they are over 35 years old, both,” he said. And saying so, he immediately went back in time when he fought legend Julio Cesar Chavez back in 1996.

Perhaps the vagaries of time led him to misstate a few facts, such as Chavez’s age and record. However, what he wanted to drive home was the point that when, as a 23-year-old, he fought a much older, 34-year-old Chavez, whose record at the time stood at 96-1-1, many voiced a concern that the Mexican great was ‘over the hill.’ So basically, it’s the same thing now for Canelo and Crawford.

So De la Hoya stressed, “I’m all for it; I actually want to watch it.” With more and more people gathering around the couple, the reporter quickly asked, “Have you, uh, changed your pick for that fight, Oscar, based on how Canelo looked against Scull?” The poser clearly had the Olympic gold medalist in a tough spot. “Because Canelo, you know, obviously he walks on quicksand; we saw it against Scull,” he first acknowledged.

But then he promptly underscored the threat Canelo faces from Crawford. “Crawford is very, you know, he’s not one-dimensional; he can move, he can box.” The only thing he wasn’t so sure about was how hard Crawford could hit to hurt Canelo.

But unlike De La Hoya and many others whose views still hang in the balance, some appear certain Terence Crawford will achieve a historic win.

Terence Crawford is gaining momentum

“I think Crawford’s going to win,” said Stephen Edwards. Though renowned for his granite chin, it doesn’t mean Canelo can’t be hurt, Edwards emphasized. Even the more worrisome issue of Crawford entering the fight after a 12-month layoff doesn’t seem to bother the highly regarded trainer.

“It’s always effective (ring rust), but every time he (Crawford) lays off, he never looks rusty. Stays in the gym Yeah, he’s one of them guys that never look rusty,” Edwards emphasized. Edwards described Crawford as a ‘savant’ who adjusts himself in any fight with ease. Unlike most fighters, Crawford has an innate ability to process things very fast in his mind.

Laying out the advantage Crawford may have over Canelo, Edwards said, “Better stamina, better conditioning, um, uh, better feet. Uh, I think obviously Canelo is the harder puncher, probably the stronger guy, but I think, uh, he (Crawford) has more dexterity, more agility. Um, he’s going to be better in the later rounds. He’s a little taller; his arms are longer. Uh, yeah, I think got a lot of advantages.”

What about you? Have you also undergone a change in your opinion vis-à-vis Canelo vs. Crawford?