Canelo vs. Crawford: September fight in the works for 168 on Mexican Independence Day weekend

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford is in the works for September, Mexican Independence Day, Alvarez’s three super middleweight titles at 168, with no rehydration clause.

If the Canelo-Crawford fight goes ahead, it could go unchallenged if Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) faces IBF champion William Scull on Cinco de Mayo weekend in May. Canelo would be a heavy favorite against Scull to regain his IBF title.

Crawford has the size

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) walks in the 170s, so it shouldn’t be a big deal for him to move up to 168 to challenge Canelo. The main problem Crawford will have is trying to win without going to war with Canelo. If Terence is just going to box Canelo, following Mayweather’s plan, as his trainer, Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, said he would, it won’t work to get a decision.

Canelo hits so much harder than Crawford that even if he eats more punches, the judges will focus on the bigger shots. This is how Canelo beat Erislandy Lara, who is much bigger and stronger than Crawford, but didn’t have enough pop in his punches to win a decision.

We don’t know Crawford’s real reason for wanting the Canelo fight. He says it’s about the “legacy,” but also mentions the money and not wanting to move up to 168 to get ready in the weight class. This is Crawford’s fear. He only reveals that it’s about money for him. I think this is just wealth for him because if he really believed, he would move up from featherweight to super middleweight to show that he can compete in this division by beating one or two of the top dogs.

Because he doesn’t, it makes it abundantly clear that Crawford just wants his retirement payday against Canelo. That’s fine. You blame the fuss. If Turki is willing to give Crawford the dough, that’s up to him, but a lot of fans feel stupid and then ripped off for wasting their money on the Jermell Charlo 2.0 type of mismatch. Crawford isn’t even as big or as strong as Jermell. He’s definitely not as young as Jermell was when he fought Canelo, Terence will be 38 band the time he fights Canelo in September.

So it doesn’t matter if he loses. It’s all gravy for him for the rest of his life from the unearned gain Crawford gets in a losing effort against Canelo. You can spend the rest of your life eating caviar and drinking from a glass with his pinky in the airspeaking with a fake British accent affected by the upper crust in American society of the super-rich.

Keyshawn’s Crawford Crusade

“How much do they count on Terence,” Keyshawn Davis said MillCity Boxing on which he disagrees about the perception among fans of his gym partner and close friend, Terence Crawford, who has no chance against Canelo Alvarez in September.

“How big Canelo is compared to Terence, and they will say he has no chance because of his size. You can box him and still KO him,” Keyshawn said when asked if Crawford can knock Canelo out or if he will try to fight his way to a decision win.

“Anybody can get KO’d in there. I’m not going to count him out for not KOing Canelo, but definitely boxing him is getting him the win. Yo, put me on that card in the co-main. I don’t care, put ‘m on this card. I’m going to be world champion (Keyshawn hopes),” said Davis.

Keyshawn shouldn’t let his friendship with Crawford blind him from seeing the fight for what it is. He’s not knocking Canelo out. He’ll be too busy running away from him after proving his power early on. Crawford almost lost his last fight in his debut at 154 against Israil Madrimov on August 3 last year. His power hadn’t been maintained since 147, and his face was all beat up by the end of the fight. Madrimov had him wrapped up, and he was lucky to get the decision because the bigger, cleaner and more effective punches were landed by the champion.

Asking for a place

“I, Turk (Al-Sheikh), put me on the card,” Keyshawn said, asking Turki to make him co-headliner for the Canelo vs. Crawford fight. “You know who I’d like to fight. I’d love to fight Isaac Cruz. I don’t know why. I just feel, and he’d put on a great performance. I just think it would be an action-packed fight. Me too I would love to fight ‘Rayo’ (Jose Valenzuela). I feel like these two guys always come to fight.”

It’s too late for Keyshawn to fight Isaac Cruz because he already is, fighting Ryan Garcia next. He’s not going to fight Keyshawn and take it down.

“I’d love to fight those two guys, and they’re both at 140. We don’t have to fight for the belt,” Keyshawn said. “We could only wrestle. We wrestle, and we both have losses. So it’s not like they’re ducking or running to not lose their Os. I’m sure I didn’t grab to lose any O (Note: Keyshawn refuses to fight Andy Cruz, who beat him four times.) I just want to fight.

“Win, lose or tie, I’m making millions of dollars. i don’t care I’d love to fight those two guys, for sure. I would love to fight these guys. Just an action-packed fight. We both hold our ground, and try to control the center of the ring. We both try to move forward,” Keyshawn said when asked how a fight between himself and the 5’4″ Isaac Cruz would play out.

“I’m going to keep throwing them. I’m not saying I’m going to fight this guy in the middle of the ring, bro. You saw me fight Miguel Madueno (using a lot of grappling, grabbing Madeuno, using a lot of push and rabbit punches) at the foot of the behind throughout the fight In some rounds, I was going forward, and in some rounds (mostly), I was going backwards. All I’m saying is (the recently defeated) Isaac Cruz was going to be an action-packed fight, and I think it was going to be fantastic for the sport of boxing,” Davis said.

Keyshawn needs to put a sock on it. Isaac Cruz has bigger fish to fry, negotiating a big money fight against superstar Ryan Garcia on the Turki Al-Sheikh card in May in Times Square in Manhattan, New York. Cruz isn’t going to waste time with Keyshawn Davis, fighting for the goofball trade, and it’s likely going to be an ugly, grudge-filled fight all night long.

If Keyhawn is looking for a fight, he needs to find some courage and face his four-time conqueror Andy Cruz in an attempt to avenge at least one of his losses against the talented Cuban. I don’t think Keyshawn will, but he should prove he’s not a fake.

No contracts have been signed yet, but boxing’s biggest star Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are set to meet on Mexican Independence Day weekend in September if everything pans out. And as Crawford said long ago, it would take place at 168 pounds without a rehydration clause. pic.twitter.com/Gw0DoA21uH

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) January 19, 2025