The potential megafight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford has captivated boxing fans, and one of the sport’s most influential figures, Bob Arum, has dramatically changed his opinion about the fight.
Initially, Arum, who previously worked with Terence Crawford, dismissed the American’s chances due to the weight disparity. However, as the fight seems increasingly likely—driven in part by interest from Saudi promoter Turki Alalshikh—Arum has reconsidered his position and now views Crawford as a serious threat to Canelo.
Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez had downplayed Crawford’s challenge, who has claimed titles across four divisions and last fought at super welterweight. The weight difference between the two fighters was a key factor in Arum’s initial assessment.
In late 2023, during an interview with Fight Hub TV, Arum gave Crawford no chance, stating that Canelo’s size and strength would be too much for the smaller fighter: “I think Canelo wipes the floor with him. I love Crawford, I told you when Crawford was fighting Spence that Crawford would beat the hell out of him. But Canelo is a different proposition. It’s an interesting fight, but I think there’s only one winner. Canelo is used to fighting at a particular level, and I don’t think that Terence can hurt Canelo, but Canelo can hurt Terence.”
Terence Crawford looks on prior to the World Welterweight Championship bout against Errol Spence Jr. at T-Mobile Arena on July 29, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
What did Arum say about the potential Crawford vs. Canelo fight?
But now, the outlook has changed. In a recent conversation with FightHype, Arum surprised many by completely reversing his verdict. He now admits that Crawford, despite needing to move up 14 pounds for the challenge, should not be counted out.
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“I wouldn’t count Crawford out in any fight because Crawford has a unique talent. He’s a great boxer, a boxer-puncher, and he’s totally ambidextrous. He drives his opponent crazy because the opponent trains to fight a right-handed fighter and ends up fighting a southpaw.” Arum said.
“That’s what happened to Errol Spence. Spence trained to fight a right-handed fighter and all he saw was a southpaw… I think what Crawford is looking for is a Manny Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya moment,” Arum explained, referring to the famous fight where Manny Pacquiao, a smaller fighter, defeated the larger Oscar De La Hoya.
Crawford vs Canelo: When would the potential fight take place?
Alvarez is expected to return to the ring in May, but attention will likely shift back to the anticipated showdown with Crawford, which is reportedly scheduled for September 13.
