Boxing’s top star Canelo Alvarez is scheduled to defend his undisputed super middleweight title against Brooklyn native and WBA ranked #1 contender Edgar Berlanga on September 14th. However, it was expected that Canelo would fight two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford by the end of this year or early next year. The 36-year-old boxer is also set to face Israil Madrimov on August 3rd, at the BMO Stadium in LA. Amidst the frenzy surrounding the potential Canelo vs. Crawford fight, Rolando Romero, the former WBA Super Lightweight champion, had made his prediction for the outcome of their fight a few months ago in an interview that has now resurfaced.

Crawford vs. Canelo could become one of the biggest fights of this era. Given that, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has also expressed interest in setting up a duel between the two legends in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, Crawford wants to defeat Canelo Alvarez to become the undisputed champion in three different weight classes, receive a hefty payday, and then call it quits on his boxing career. But do you think he would be able to outclass a boxer like Alvarez at 168 pounds?

The Mexican boxer has been reigning in the super middleweight division since November 2021. Crawford has fought in the welterweight class for the majority of his career, so defeating the much bigger Canelo Alvarez would be a difficult task. Romero had made a similar statement a while ago that was recently reposted by a boxing commentator on X. “If Terence Crawford moves up to fight Canelo, then it’s going to be a worse fight than (Jermell) Charlo running around (against Canelo). Imma tell you straight up…Canelo by murder against Crawford. They have weight classes for a reason,” Romero predicted confidently.

Jermell Charlo, the former light middleweight champion, had leaped up two weight classes to take on the Mexican phenom last year. But Alvarez prevailed comfortably against the then-undefeated Charlo. The outcome of that battle highlighted how difficult it is for a fighter from a lower weight class to excel in the upper weight class. Romero went on to suggest that Crawford would be more successful at 154 pounds as opposed to 168.

However, one cannot underestimate a fighter like Bud. Over his career, he has consistently delivered exceptional performances. In addition, he has won 11 straight fights via knockouts. There are many in the boxing circuit who believe that Bud would prevail over the Mexican boxer despite their weight disparity.

Boxing community backs Terence Crawford

Despite the harsh prediction from Rolly Romero, most within the boxing community believe that Terence Crawford is the only one who can hand Canelo Alvarez his third defeat. Even Crawford’s switch to light-middleweight is an attempt by him to close the distance between him and Canelo. While some presume that Bud has less chance of winning, two-division undisputed champion Claressa Shields believes that “the only man that can beat Canelo is Terence Crawford. That’s just what I think and I want to see it.”  

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson also believes that although Alvarez is an excellent boxer, Crawford would be able to defeat him. Furthermore, boxing pundit and coach Teddy Atlas picked Bud over Canelo and said, “It’s a tremendous challenge because Canelo is a tremendous fighter and bigger and strong and he can punch and time you. But just because you’re smaller… Crawford will come up with a game plan that will make the other guy use his size.” 

Before they officially face off, Crawford and Alvarez are scheduled to battle Madrimov and Berlanga, respectively. Following that, they will possibly begin concentrating and getting ready for their expected clash. So, who do you pick between the two? Let us know in the comments below.