Some time ago, eminent boxing insider Rick Glaser made a telling remark about Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez. “Do you know what makes Canelo-Crawford such a huge fight?” he asked. And he promptly answered as well, “(The) greatness of both fighters is a key element in a huge fight.” The instant recognition from the public and the rare split where even fans are divided 50/50 add to its magnitude.
The fight for super middleweight supremacy is now just a month away.
At Allegiant Stadium, a 12-round fight will deliver what many call the era’s greatest bout. It has been a decade since Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao clashed. The last time two pound-for-pound greats faced off. With only weeks to go, speculation is running wild. Crawford is moving up two weight classes, yet he enjoys strong backing from diehards who believe he can topple the Mexican icon. Still, even with momentum shifting his way, can it really be that easy? The questions keep coming. Even Joe Rogan and his panel of experts looked perplexed as they weighed in on the mega showdown.
With an hour left in the episode, ‘Powerful JRE’ switched gears to boxing. Guest John Rallo brought up the upcoming bout between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. When Joe Rogan asked for his pick, the Ground Control MMA head instructor replied, “Personally, I’m a big Crawford fan, so I’m gonna lean his way.”
Boxen: 62nd WBC Annual Convention, Gala Dinner, Hamburg, 09.12.2024 Terence Crawford *** Boxing 62nd WBC Annual Convention, Gala Dinner, Hamburg, 09 12 2024 Terence Crawford
Still, his answer carried a note of doubt. “My only concern is just the size. Like, it didn’t look like Terrence’s power transferred in the last fight, so now it’s up some more,” he added. As a boxer, Rallo felt Crawford adjusts better than Canelo. He then turned the question to Joe Rogan, who seemed just as cautious.
“I don’t know,” Rogan said. “It’s a big jump to go from 54, which was a step up from 47, right? So, it goes to 54, and now he’s going to 68. That’s so much weight. “A lot of weight.” According to him, Crawford is the best switch-hitter boxing has seen since Marvelous Marvin Hagler.
The exchange clearly left many fans amused.
Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez: Still no clear favorite
A big ‘if’ still loomed. Though Terence Crawford is a ‘high-level guy,’ Rogan noted, Canelo is just as dangerous. “He broke Billy Joe Saunders’s whole face. Broke his whole face. What he did to Amir Khan—remember that? Oh, lordy. Oh, lordy. And never been down. Never been dropped,” he said.
September 14, 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: SAUL CANELO ALVAREZ 62-2-2-39KOs of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico defeats EDGAR BERLANGA 22-1-17KOs of Brooklyn, NY by a unanimous decision 118-109, 117-110, 118-109 during PBC on Prime boxing at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20240914_zsp_o117_127 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
As the guests and Joe Rogan echoed similar views, one user quipped, “It’s like Joe interviewing his multiverse variants.” Still, at boxing’s highest level, it’s rare to see both fighters so evenly matched. But that hasn’t stopped some from making a clear pick. Speaking about the September 13 bout, legend Roy Jones Jr. reworked a classic boxing adage: “A good big guy beats a good small guy, but a great small guy beats a good big guy. We might be talking about a great small guy here.”
Then there’s David Benavidez. Despite his long-standing gripe about Canelo avoiding him, the Arizona-born light heavyweight champion believes the Mexican icon’s power and pressure at super middleweight could wear down Terence Crawford.
In the oddsmakers’ books, Canelo still holds a slight edge. But as fight night nears, that margin may shrink.
Who’s your pick – Canelo or Crawford?
The post Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Is So Good, Even Multiverse of Joe Rogan Couldn’t Pick a Clear Winner appeared first on EssentiallySports.