Regardless of the expectations or strategies, Canelo Alvarez remains an unbeatable force in boxing. However, there are contenders who pose serious threats to his throne, most notably David Benavidez and Terence Crawford. Currently, Benavidez is trying his luck in the light heavyweight division and waiting for developments there to unfold. That leaves ‘Bud’ Crawford as a serious challenger. He may already be preparing for the big fight, climbing up a division to get closer to the super middleweight’s undisputed king.

If the Alvarez-Crawford match materializes, it could be one of the biggest lineups in recent times. This potential fight has even garnered the interest of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Yet, beyond the details of the match-up, the deals, and the negotiations, there remains a bigger poser. Does Terence Crawford have what it takes to accomplish the unthinkable? So far, only two boxers have successfully dealt Canelo Alvarez a loss: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Dmitry Bivol. Given the weight class of ‘The Money’ and bud matches, there’s a suggestion that the Nebraskan southpaw might score a win if he takes some notes from the boxing great’s playbook.

Terence Crawford: The Man to Beat the Man

Fight Hub TV was speaking to former two-division champion Timothy Bradley and checking for his opinion on HE Turki Alalshikh displaying a keen interest in the Crawford-Alvarez fight. “Make it. Make the fight,” answered ‘The Desert Storm’. The reporter sought a better explanation.

“Look, man, Crawford ain’t no damn Charlo, just put, this Crawford ain’t no damn uh Charlo, different mindset, different skill set. This dude is serious,” said ‘Tim’ Bradley. He shared that he had seen the undisputed welterweight champion take on heavyweights, light heavyweights, and middleweights during multiple sparring sessions. So basically, he can fight a boxer from any weight class.

Bradley emphasized that ‘Bud’ Crawford’s disciplined and detailed fighting style could exploit a weakness in Canelo Alvarez, much like Floyd Mayweather Jr. did. As most fans might be aware, in 2013, ‘The Money’ and Alvarez clashed for light middleweight titles. The former was 36, while the Mexican was thirteen years his junior.

What happened next has now entered boxing lore. Giving a masterclass performance, Mayweather Jr. took the future boxing great through a boxing clinic. The lessons seem to have served Canelo well to this day, many say.

Turn the pages of history and solve the mysteries of the present!

Bradley emphasized that even back then, Canelo Alvarez looked like a 160-165-pound boxer compared to Mayweather Jr.’s 150-155 limits. Despite the age and physical difference, ‘The Money’ outclassed, outboxed, and outmaneuvered a young Alvarez. ‘Tim’ Bradley explained: “The way you beat Canelo is you don’t let him hit you; that’s it. You use your legs; you use your quickness; you use in and out; you got to make them punches fly.”

So, in his opinion, after Mayweather Jr., Crawford has the ability to replicate Mayweather Jr.’s success against Alvarez. He said, “He has the ability to do that: keep his distance, stay away, keep Canelo off balance keep swing in that air all night.” He also dismissed concerns about Crawford’s size. “He’s just not like your regular champion,” said Bradley.

There might be some truth in what Timothy Bradley said. The Jaime Munguia fight showed that if a boxer engages Canelo Alvarez in close-quarter exchanges, it’s the end of the story for him. The only way to counter the Mexican icon’s ferocious counterattacks and body shots is through slick moves. But remember, you’re dealing with a P4P great. One of the features that has allowed Canelo Alvarez to stay in the game is adjustments. So he usually comes back with something unpredictable. Hence, it is important for an opponent facing him to improvise on the move.

The fact remains that the undisputed super middleweight champion is beatable. Now, whether Terence Crawford has the ability to inflict a third career loss on him? That is something the world would rather wait and watch; speculations can continue.

Do you agree with Timothy Bradley’s views? Do you think ‘Bud’ Crawford can defeat Canelo Alvarez despite the differences in weight and size?