Terence Crawford, a master of adaptation, faces the ultimate challenge of his career as he moves up two weight divisions to take on Canelo Alvarez. Despite his impeccable track record, many view him as the underdog in this fight. However, Shakur Stevenson, his close friend and confidant, firmly believes Crawford has the tools to defeat Canelo with relative ease.
The highly anticipated matchup, scheduled for September 13 in Las Vegas, has sparked intense debate about Crawford’s chances. While Canelo prepares for his upcoming bout against William Scull, Crawford remains laser-focused on his preparation for the September showdown. In a recent interview, Stevenson dismissed Canelo’s abilities, confidently stating that Crawford holds the key to a decisive victory.
“Beat[s] him easy,” Stevenson declared, summarizing his prediction in three words during an appearance on the All The Smoke Fight podcast. He downplayed the threat posed by Canelo, emphasizing Crawford’s superior skills.
When pressed for details on the strategy, Stevenson pointed to Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s victory over Canelo as a blueprint for success. “For me, it’s a blueprint already. Floyd was a lot smaller than Canelo when he fought him. You keep Canelo on the outside. I ain’t gonna say too much, but you keep him on the outside and make it an easy night,” Stevenson explained.
Crawford’s aspiration for legendary status
Terence Crawford’s recent performance against Israil Madrimov at junior middleweight has raised questions about his ability to compete at super middleweight. While Crawford outpointed Madrimov, his performance was not considered dominant. Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s recent victory over Madrimov has further fueled the debate over Crawford’s chances against Canelo.
Despite the skepticism, Crawford remains focused on achieving greatness. He sees the fight against Canelo as an opportunity to cement his legacy as one of the best in boxing history. “I would definitely rank top 5,” Crawford told Naji from Cigar Talk, showing his ambition to achieve immortality.
Is Stevenson overconfident in Crawford?
As Crawford prepares for the fight, Stevenson’s bold predictions stand in stark contrast to the widespread doubts surrounding Crawford’s chances. Stevenson’s unwavering confidence adds an intriguing layer to the buildup for the September clash. Only time will tell if Stevenson’s prediction holds true or if Crawford will face a tougher reality than anticipated.