Having consistently and boldly voiced his views, Terence Crawford has established himself as one of modern boxing’s most outspoken voices, unafraid to go against popular opinion. Despite the anticipation surrounding the matchup, few appear to give Christian Mbilli much of a chance as he approaches his October 31 showdown with Canelo Alvarez at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena. Having defeated Canelo himself, Crawford, however, sees one possible path for Mbilli to disrupt Canelo’s rhythm and pull off an upset.

“I can’t because styles make fights, and his style is tailor-made for Canelo,” he made the remarks in response to a question from ring announcer and panelist Thomas Treiber, who asked how Mbilli could beat Canelo.

“He can’t do nothing but press Canelo. I don’t see him beating Canelo in a boxing match. I think his best success will be letting his hands go, roughing Canelo up, and making it a dog fight.”

Crawford’s assessment reflects the fighting style Canelo has displayed throughout his career. Combining traditional Mexican offensive style with refined defensive skills, Canelo is a disciplined, intelligent, and versatile fighter rather than a conventional pressure fighter.

His success stems from exceptional timing, calculated aggression, and efficient shot selection. Canelo studies opponents carefully, using subtle head moments and defensive positioning to avoid incoming punches before responding with accurate, powerful combinations.

Canelo’s body punching, particularly his left hook, could pose a significant challenge for Mbilli. The former champion often targets the body to wear down opponents and create openings for headshots. If Mbilli maintains a high-pressure approach, he will need to avoid giving Canelo clear opportunities to counter.

Crawford understands Mbilli’s tactical challenge. Apart from Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol, Crawford is the only man to have beaten Canelo, and his performance offered a clear example of how to disrupt the Mexican’s approach.

Despite the two-weight-class difference, Crawford used his sharp jabs, quick movements, and excellent distance judgment to limit Canelo’s forward pressure. His defensive awareness and positioning helped him avoid sustained pressure while creating openings for accurate counters.

Most significantly, Crawford forced Canelo onto the back foot in close-range exchanges, an area where the Mexican typically thrives.

Although Canelo connected with more punches, Crawford’s overall accuracy and higher punch output contributed to his success.

The danger of trading with Canelo Alvarez

Mbilli, by contrast, is likely to rely on an aggressive approach, applying sustained pressure throughout the fight. Like Canelo, he throws powerful combinations and attacks the body. However, the difference could emerge in how each fighter handles exchanges at close range.

Mbilli uses forward movements to force opponents into exchanges, where he throws hooks and uppercuts. His willingness to trade punches can create opportunities, but it also leaves him open to counters. That vulnerability could prove costly against Canelo, who has consistently demonstrated an ability to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes.

With just 12 days remaining before Canelo and Mbilli meet in the ring, the focus will be on whether Mbilli can maintain his pressure without leaving himself exposed.

Canelo vs. Mbilli is not the first matchup Crawford has analyzed based on his experience and understanding of boxing tactics. Following his retirement from professional boxing, Crawford has transitioned into broadcasting, bringing championship-level experience to his analytical role.

His observations on Errol Spence Jr.’s performance against Tim Tszyu highlighted concerns about movements, timing, and declining sharpness.

Crawford’s views about the Canelo-Mbilli fight came after he offered a technical assessment of Sebastian Fundora’s hard-fought title defense against Ermal Hadribaej. Despite his considerable size advantage, Fundora struggled at times to prevent Hadribeaj from entering close range and launching effective shots.

Later he spoke about a potential light middleweight unification between Fundora and Jaron “Boots” Ennis. According to Crawford, Ennis’ exceptional hand speed could give him an advantage against Fundora.

Turning back to Canelo’s upcoming fight, the Mexican has already indicated that he expects to return to the ring after facing Mbilli, potentially in February next year. In a recent interview with Mike Coppinger, Canelo discussed his plans for another fight, with the bouts forming part of his four-fight contract with Riyadh Season.

That schedule makes the Mbilli matchup particularly important. With another fight potentially coming just months later, Canelo will have to balance his immediate title ambitions with his long-term plans. At this stage of his career, it is difficult to imagine him accepting a matchup that would delay his pursuit of a championship opportunity without a compelling reason.