Paulie Malignaggi Feels Terence Crawford is a “More Complete Fighter” Than Canelo Alvarez

According to Paulie Malignaggi, Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is a lot like Floyd Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs).

‘Bud’ will soon face Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), with a fight set to potentially take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on September 13. As the fight date approaches, Malignaggi is certain that Crawford will channel his inner Mayweather to emerge as the victor.

Talking to FightHype, Malignaggi was asked if he foresaw any chance of Crawford’s victory during the fight in September.

“I originally thought Crawford was too small. I think Crawford was a way more complete fighter than Canelo ever was. It’s not out of the question,” he responded. “This Canelo is not the prime Canelo. This Canelo is trying to steal bags while half-a**ing it. When Canelo has been put in tough situations where he had to dig down, what has he done? He hasn’t really dug down and gone for broke-in fights where he was losing.”

Malignaggi took into account Alvarez’s fight against Mayweather in 2013, highlighting that Alvarez “accepted the loss.” Moreover, he added that following Alvarez’s loss to Dmitry Bivol, he has been avoiding a high level of competition. In the Italian American former boxer’s eyes, Crawford is very Mayweather-esque in his ring craft.

“He is a guy that reminds me of Floyd and is hungry, motivated and wants to be the best. He has that mean streak in the ring. Crawford wants to go for that gusto. That doesn’t mean Crawford wins because he’s small. I believe more now that Crawford can win than when it was first talked about,” he said.

“For The Better of Boxing”

Malignaggi certainly has a favourite going into the fight, Crawford. In fact, he feels that ‘Bud’ emerging as the victor would be better for the sport of boxing.

“I think for the better of boxing, Crawford wins because he went about his career the right way by trying to chase the best all the time. I feel he’s constantly testing himself. That Madrimov fight was very impressive. Madrimov is a very good fighter. That fight was neck and neck. It could have been a draw. That was high-level chess,” he said.

“To be able to hold that concentration in your mid-30s against this young, high IQ fighter with explosive and naturally bigger fighter, that was impressive to me.”

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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