Callum Smith is Certain That Terence Crawford Can’t ‘Cope’ With Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) might not be able to handle Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), according to Callum Smith (30-2, 22 KOs).

ESPN’s Mike Coppinger recently revealed that both Alvarez and Crawford are “finalizing a deal” for a September showdown on the Mexican Independence Day weekend. While this has undoubtedly excited the boxing community and fans, the 168-pound weight limit and the potential no-rehydration clause have certainly raised a few eyebrows. Talking to Pro Boxing Fans, Smith speculated that the weight might just be a “tough ask” for Crawford.

“That’s a great fight. They’re both pound-for-pound stars and exceptional. It’ll be interesting to see how the weight affects Crawford moving up as we saw Charlo. He’s a very good fighter, but he couldn’t really cope with him [Alvarez]. It’s alright putting weight on, but there’s natural size, and Crawford’s coming up from the lower weights,” he said.

Smith might not be wrong here as Crawford started his career at a lower weight, 134.5 pounds to be precise and 147 pounds is widely regarded as his natural weight. So going up over 20 pounds and two weight classes could rightfully pose a challenge.

However, it should also be mentioned that Crawford weighed 169.8 pounds on fight night against Israil Madrimov despite weighing 153.4 pounds during the weigh-in. Moreover, he went on to fight and win titles at this weight. Smith, on the other hand, feels that the scenario might be different when facing someone like Alvarez, who has fared more than well at that weight.

He’s a four-weight world champion. So, to go up another two to go up against the likes of Canelo is going to be a tough ask, but as we saw with Beterbiev, Canelo’s not getting any younger,” he said.

“It’s On”

While there is yet to be an official announcement, Bernie Tha Boxer might just have let the cat out of the bag. Talking to FightHype, Bernie confirmed the fight for September while also announcing that there would be a new “super middleweight champion.”

“It’s on, baby. September 13th, I look forward to it. Crawford vs. Canelo. As I said, Crawford vs. Canelo. Yeah, it’s confirmed. Crawford vs. Canelo, not the other way around,” he said. “Team Crawford stand up. Pound-for-pound, the best in the world. Soon to be the super middleweight champion of the world,

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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