If everything goes as planned, in September, we will finally get to see the much anticipated and perhaps much hyped ‘Canelo’-Crawford showdown. For long the fight had been hanging in the balance. Since he dropped Errol Spence Jr. in the ninth round and became the first two-division undisputed champion among men, Terence Crawford has had only one name in his crosshairs: Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

The Mexican superstar, on the other hand, dragged his feet. But as the new year kicked in, signaling a new journey with the Riyadh season, Alvarez seemingly settled with the idea. A fight with a pound-for-pound great like Crawford solidifies his legacy for years to come. Not to mention the mouthwatering payday he’ll receive. But there’s a problem. The narrative presents only one side of the story. There’s another angle, one that continues to bother a few. To face Alvarez, Crawford is literally climbing up three weight divisions. Last year, after he joined the 154 pounds, he bridged the gap. Still, to many fans and pundits, the matchup between a super middleweight and a welterweight sounds quite ominous.

Massive Size Disadvantage for Crawford

Recently, pics of Terence Crawford standing in the gym gained considerable traction. But they invariably attracted a few questions. Some time ago, Crawford shared that he weighs over 180 pounds. But despite the weight gain or the clips that show him lifting heavy weights, Crawford’s overall physique narrates a different story.

It’s about a boxer who essentially revels at 147 lbs. Now that’s a division from where Canelo commenced his career. Over the next two decades, realizing that his body was most suitable for higher weight classes, he consistently leapfrogged and eventually touched 172 pounds, light heavyweight division.

Yes, it’s true, despite the difference in reach, Crawford and Alvarez’s heights match. But, even by the standards he maintains, the sheer difference of roughly 30 pounds sounds too steep a mountain for Crawford to climb.

Canelo’s Experience Against Bigger Fighters

Let’s talk about the experience. Whatever criticism one has for ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, one cannot deny that he has consistently fought bigger and stronger opponents. Be it the mighty ‘Tripel G‘ in the middleweight, or Sergey Kovalev or Dmitry Bivol in the light heavyweight, or Caleb Plant and Jaime Munguia in the super middleweight, the Mexican superstar has fought them all.

What about Terence Crawford? Despite his supreme skills, Crawford has yet to fight anyone who matches the size and power of a Kovalev, Golovkin, or Munguia. Perhaps barring the exceptional few hitters such as Spence Jr. or Israil Madrimov, he doesn’t seem to have faced someone remotely close to ‘Canelo’s size and strength.

High Risk, Low Reward for Both Fighters

‘Canelo’ Alvarez had already highlighted this particular concern. Hesitant to commit, when asked about the Crawford matchup, he highlighted that if he ended up beating Crawford, then there’s a high possibility that critics would slam him for drubbing a much smaller guy.

For Crawford, a loss to Canelo may not have a significant impact. Most will dismiss it as a glaring mismatch. In the end, the real questions will be about ‘Canelo’s’ legacy. Despite the financial rewards, the outcome might leave a bitter aftertaste.

Perhaps fans will see the fight as more of an experiment, something without precedent. A nuanced study might only tangle the debate further, blurring the lines between insight and endless dispute.

What do you think? Is ‘Canelo vs. Crawford’ a big mistake?