“He couldn’t catch a chicken in his last fight… so how the hell are you going to catch Crawford?” That’s how Timothy Bradley Jr. broke it down last month when asked about the looming showdown between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez. Though he admitted he was “biased,” Bradley isn’t alone in his belief. Derrick ‘Bozy’ Ennis, Shakur Stevenson, and others have echoed the same confidence in Terence Crawford’s skills.
After jumping two divisions and notching ten straight knockouts before last year’s win over Israil Madrimov, Crawford is riding a wave of momentum into the biggest fight of his career. A win would make him the first man in the modern four-belt era to become undisputed in three separate weight classes, an unmatched milestone he’s willing to fight for at any cost. And when it comes to concerns about size? Terence Crawford doesn’t give a damn.
Just a few hours ago, Mail Sport Boxing shared a new interview with Terence Crawford following his fiery press conference with Canelo. In it, the reporter posed the much-discussed question: “You said about the fact that people are overthinking, the size and the power of Canelo. Do you think that that is oversimplifying him as a fighter?” Calm and composed, Crawford replied, “We don’t know yet, until we fight.”
“I can’t never say somebody is bigger and more powerful, if I never been in the ring with them,” Crawford explained. “A lot of people that I fought, riders and the fans may have thought these fighters were stronger, bigger, and punch harder. But come fight time, you see a big difference in my size, my power, my strength, and so forth. So I can’t never say how big, how strong, how hard a fighter is until I fight him.”
The reporter followed up, pointing to past examples like Manny Pacquiao defeating Oscar De La Hoya despite the size disparity, and asked how much speed, timing, and ring IQ would factor into this fight. The 37-year-old didn’t hesitate. “Well, all that goes hand in hand,” he said. He then revealed his master plan: “My style, I’m very powerful, explosive, strong. That’s why I have the ability to adapt to a lot of fighters because I can do so many things in the ring,” he said. “So, come fight night, we will be preparing, and we will see what would be the best way to tackle this.”
While it’s clear that the Omaha native isn’t intimidated by Canelo’s physical advantages, Canelo Alvarez himself believes he may be the most dangerous opponent Crawford has ever faced. Still, beyond all the tactical talk and self-confidence, Crawford made sure to send a direct, four-word warning to his opponent.
Terence Crawford claps back with chilling four words after Canelo’s shove
Crawford was clearly unimpressed by Canelo Alvarez’s shove during their press conference and made sure to respond. “Canelo, you’re going to pay for that weak a– push. I got you. Remember I said this,” he warned. The Omaha native, who is moving up two weight classes for this historic bout, also issued a bold message to Canelo’s fanbase. “I’m just going to keep it real,” he added. “I’m hunting him, that’s it. I’m hunting everything that he’s got and I’m going to take it come September 13. I want all the people in the stands that boo me, they are going to cry when they go home.”
With laser focus on making history, Terence Crawford added, “I’m all about making history. I was the first two-time undisputed champion of the world. And I can assure you that I’m going to be the first three-time undisputed champion of the world. It just motivates me to go out there and put on a great performance. This is my homecoming fight. I’m expecting to win, however it comes.”
Now, fans can only wait to see which fighter will rise up and stamp his legacy in one of boxing’s most anticipated showdowns. If Canelo Alvarez wins, all eyes will turn to his next move and whether Terence Crawford, should he lose, might consider retirement. With just three months left, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the answers are coming fast. So, who do you think will take the L?
The post Terence Crawford Reveals Plan to Counter Canelo Alvarez’s Size Advantage appeared first on EssentiallySports.
