For those in the boxing know, Terence Crawford’s standing is more than solid. Not only is he seen as one of the best fighters in the game now, as his consistent position in the P4P listings would indicate, but he is an unabashed member of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. However, outside of the boxing lifers, with those who are casual fans and beyond, Crawford lacks the level of esteem that one might expect for someone who has accomplished all that he has.
Let’s be clear, Crawford has accomplished much since turning pro in 2008, winning his first world title in 2013, and having his coming-out party against Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2014. Crawford is a true beast in the ring. He’s won titles in three different weight classes and sports an undefeated record of 41-0 with 31 of those wins coming by KO. Still, even with dominating wins over Viktor Postol, Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Sean Porter, and most notably, Errol Spence Jr., Crawford’s “Q rating” is still lacking.
There are reasons why Crawford lacks the status of his opponent on September 13, 2025, the Mexican legend, Canelo Alvarez. For one, many of the best fighters, from lightweight to welterweight, have avoided the two-handed menace who can box conventionally or southpaw, thereby robbing Crawford of more signature wins. Then there is the matter of inactivity. Crawford has fought only once each year of the last five. Without being in the face of the public eye regularly, fans of the sport, and of sports in general, are less likely to take notice when there’s so little to notice. Lastly, there is the charisma factor. Hailing from the unlikely boxing Mecca of Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford is very “down home.” He’s not a flashy personality. He isn’t overly loquacious. Should that matter? Maybe not, but it does.
At the old boxer age of 37, the time for Crawford to become a household name is running short. However, a victory over the Mexican legend Canelo, after coming up two weight classes to fight at super middleweight, would likely do the trick.
In many ways, Crawford is like an actor who those who pay attention to film and TV would know their value, but hasn’t crossed over to true stardom. In that regard, Crawford reminds me of the great British actor Stephen Graham. An actor who has distinguished himself in such outstanding projects as Snatch, Gangs of New York, Public Enemies, Boardwalk Empire, The Irishman, and Peaky Blinders, but somehow never caught on with the public at large. That is, until this year.
In 2025, Graham hit the viewing public with a remarkable combination. First, there was A Thousand Blows, where Graham plays a bare-knuckles boxer on the precipice of the origins of organized boxing at the end of the 19th century. Graham followed up the exceptional notices he received from that project with an even greater triumph, as the father of a young boy who murdered a female classmate in Adolescence. Make no mistake, Adolescence, for which Graham has received three Emmy nominations, is Graham’s big swing. He produced, starred in, and co-wrote the riveting mini-series that has captivated the television viewing public this year.
Adolescence was more than just a trenchant tale, well told; it was Graham’s baby. It was Graham’s decision to shoot each episode as a single shot. Adolescence was already difficult material to begin with, but making each installment a one-shot added a remarkable degree of difficulty. In doing so, Graham not only created one of the most talked about shows of the year, but he also elevated his status, at the age of 52, to ever-greater heights.
You might, at this point, ask, “Why is this guy spending so much time talking about an actor?” Well, it’s not just because Graham played a boxer on TV this year, it’s because Crawford has made a similar choice. Taking on Canelo is a risk for anyone, but coming up two weight classes to do so? Well, that’s the type of grasp for glory that moves a fighter from great to legend.
The degree of difficulty that Crawford is adding by taking on a natural super middleweight of exceptional ability is enormous. Crawford is coming up as much as 21 pounds to take on Canelo. The question of whether his speed and punching power will follow him to this higher class is an open one. Crawford has never fought a man so big, nor has he fought at a weight so hefty before. Throw away the oddsmakers, the predictions, and the soundbites; no one knows what is going to happen this Saturday on Netflix.
That’s what makes the fight so fascinating: the element of risk. Alvarez is going to be at a comfortable weight, he has a beard as thick as a lumberjack’s, and he can punch. Crawford is going into uncharted waters.
To stretch the comparison/metaphor further, this is Crawford’s Stephen Graham moment. Should he succeed, his place in his profession will forever be changed. He will go from being a boxing legend to a sports legend. That may sound like a simple distinction, but it isn’t. A win over Canelo will allow Crawford to transcend his sport. To be a fighter that people talk about at the water cooler, even if those drawing water are not dyed-in-the-wool fight fans.
That’s what happened with Graham after Adolescence. He was no longer “that guy in that thing,” but a name that only needed to be spoken to be understood. All of a sudden, all the great work he had done before became elevated. Should Crawford win Saturday night, the same will happen to him. Call it his “Stephen Graham moment” if you like. At the age of 37, this fight is likely to be his last chance to break through that glass ceiling from star to superstar.
All eyes are on him.
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