Teddy Atlas, the legendary trainer-turned-analyst, has made his bold prediction ahead of the highly anticipated Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford showdown later this year. The fight, which is now officially confirmed, will see Canelo defend his undisputed super-middleweight championship against Crawford on September 13 at an unconfirmed location in Las Vegas.
The announcement has set the boxing world ablaze, with many calling it the biggest fight in boxing. Canelo achieved undisputed status at 168lbs for the second time in his career when he dethroned former IBF champion William Scull in Riyadh on May 2, becoming the first fighter in boxing history to accomplish this feat twice.
As excitement builds for the monumental fight, Atlas shared his thoughts on Canelo and Crawford, delivering a mixed assessment. While Atlas praised Crawford, calling him a “special” fighter, he also raised doubts about Canelo’s status, questioning whether the Mexican superstar is “slightly overrated.”
“Canelo is really good, really good, but I think Crawford is special,” Atlas said during an appearance on his THE FIGHT YouTube channel. “I know he hasn’t fought the resume everyone wants, but you have that or you don’t have that ingredient, and I think he has it.”
Atlas doubts Canelo’s overrated status
Atlas acknowledged Canelo’s incredible skill and achievements, calling him “tremendous”. However, he pointed out that there could be a slight overestimation of Canelo’s abilities.
“Canelo is really good, he’s tremendous, but could he be a tiny bit overrated?” Atlas questioned. “The greatness is within Crawford, it’s in his desire, it’s in his mind, it’s in his makeup, where he came from… I know he’s moving up in weight classes, can he carry it? You know, but those intangibles, I believe that he has them.”
For Atlas, Crawford’s inner drive and mental fortitude give him the edge in this battle. While Canelo is a dominant force in his own right, Atlas believes that Crawford’s potential and desire to prove himself could play a significant role in the outcome of the fight.
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The stakes for Crawford
A victory for Terence Crawford would make him the first fighter in boxing history to win undisputed championships in three different weight classes, adding another monumental achievement to his already impressive legacy. At 37 years old, Crawford’s ambition to make history has never been stronger, and a win over Canelo would cement his place as one of the sport’s all-time greats.