After years of asking for it, Terence Crawford will finally get his desired fight against Canelo Alvarez in September. As the two best pound-for-pound fighters gear up to take on each other, the anticipation surrounding this matchup has reached fever pitch. Fans and pundits alike have predicted an intense clash with lots of fireworks.

For Crawford, though, this isn’t merely about the money. For him, it is a chance to cement his legacy as the greatest of his generation. In his excitement, he may be overestimating the fight’s magnitude a bit, quietly taking a subtle dig at David Benavidez.

Terence Crawford highlights the history of his saga with Canelo

In a recent interview with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo for the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Crawford reflected on his upcoming fight against Canelo Alvarez. The Nebraskan didn’t hold back, labeling it as “the biggest fight in boxing right now,” claiming it as a legacy fight. The 37-year-old brushed off fans clamoring for Canelo to face David Benavidez instead. “Right now a lot of people might say “Oh well we want to see Benavidez-Canelo,” he remarked. And even though the undefeated welterweight thinks that it would be an amazing fight, “But to be real,” it is nowhere near the Crawford-Canelo fight.

“Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez is the biggest fight in the boxing right now today,” he doubled down. When Cejudo pressed him, asking, “Your fight would do bigger numbers than Benavidez- Canelo?” Crawford shot back, “Hundred percent,” without hesitation.

Don’t forget that Canelo reportedly demanded a $200 million purse to fight Benavidez. Terence Crawford insisted his matchup would eclipse even that lofty figure. According to Bud, “African-American and Mexican, they always made the biggest fights in history,” referencing the 1993 bout between Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker.

He went on to note how he could easily take on fighters like Vergil Ortiz Jr. or Sebastian Fundora for a fast payday, “a quick buck or quick little penny,” as he put it. “But I am looking at the bigger picture,” he explained. “This is a legacy fight. This is a generational fight. Will be talked about for years. When I am gone, they’ll talk. Two top 5 pound-4-pound fighters in the world, fighting each other.” It’s gonna be electrifying,” declared the Nebraskan confidently.

As Terence Crawford has made his opinion on the Benavidez-Canelo bout clear, the Mexican Monster also has something to say regarding the fight.

David Benavidez predicts his winner

It is no secret that David Benavidez has long chased a showdown with Canelo Alvarez. A fight that he deserved after being the WBC mandatory for over a year. Yet, the fight never happened and Benavidez moved up to 175 lbs. Now that he is on a collision course with either Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol, free from the frustration of the Canelo saga, he can view the upcoming Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford bout with a clear mind.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani last month, the Bandera Roja offered his take on the much-hyped fight. “You can give [Crawford] like a 7 out of a 10 [chance to win]…,” he said. A bold call given the majority of the boxing world favors Canelo Alvarez due to the size difference. However, “Crawford is good and I think he’s known that he’s gonna fight Canelo for a long, long time… Crawford likes to pick up the weights. I’m sure he’s been working on the weights for a long, long time,” Benavidez posited. Despite Terence Crawford moving up two weight classes to face Alvarez, Benavidez claimed, “I wouldn’t be surprised if (Crawford) wins.”

While Terence Crawford’s ability to sell a fight on his own remains debatable, this fight against Canelo Alvarez is surely going to be massive. Whether it will be bigger than Benavidez’s clash, we have to wait a very long time to know that answer. In the meantime, drop your predictions regarding the fight down below.