As expected, the September 12 mega showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford has ignited a wave of discussion across the boxing world. Some conversations are measured and analytical, while others are passionate and speculative. Most experts and fans continue to place Canelo as the clear favorite. However, Crawford remains close behind in the betting odds. Especially, Canelo’s recent win over William Scull seems to have caused a minor shift in the odds.
Still, with four months to go before the two meet at Allegiant Stadium, it is premature to assume that Crawford will be walking into a one-sided win. Since his last fight against Israil Madrimov on August 3 last year, Crawford has remained in the public eye and has not shown signs of decline. However, it doesn’t mean his challenges are over. Danny Garcia, who has experienced firsthand the difficulty of long layoffs and weight jumps, understands what Crawford is facing. Though not officially retired, in recent years Garcia’s career has been defined by long periods of inactivity. So from his perspective, facing someone like Canelo is an entirely different challenge. Whatever critiques exist about Canelo, Crawford has never encountered a fighter of his style, power, or resume.
During a recent conversation with Fight Hub TV’s Ron Goodall, Garcia reflected on his own past and how it intersects with Crawford’s. Goodall highlighted the shared amateur history between the two. Garcia, as he reminded viewers, holds a win over Crawford from their amateur days. There’s also the added pop culture connection. Grammy-winning rapper Eminem, who walked Crawford to the ring, had name-dropped Garcia in one of his earlier tracks.
Given that Crawford is jumping up not one but two weight classes to challenge Canelo, the Fight Hub TV reporter asked, “I just wanted to get your thoughts, Danny. You’ve definitely done some Duran stuff, jumping up weight and daring to be great, so I mean, is there stuff that concerns you a little bit?”
Garcia’s response centered around his own experience. He pointed to his 28-month layoff before returning to fight at a higher weight. In hindsight, he feels that taking a tune-up fight before making the leap might have changed the outcome. In essence, Garcia’s comments suggested caution. Even for someone as skilled and active as Crawford, moving up two weight classes presents a serious challenge.
Crawford’s discipline and ring IQ are undeniable. However, the physical demands of facing a naturally bigger and battle-tested fighter like Canelo cannot be overlooked.
The post Terence Crawford Should Take Note as Danny Garcia Makes Blunt Claim on Canelo Alvarez Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.