Two of the best pound-for-pound boxers will face each other on September 13 in Las Vegas – Canelo vs. Crawford promises to make history.
Real “superfights” are rare in boxing – but the showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford on September 13 in Las Vegas(live on Netflix) meets all the criteria. With just under a month to go before the duel, the tension is palpably rising.
Canelo (63-2-2, 39 knockouts) has been high in the pound-for-pound rankings for over a decade and has defeated opponents in various weight classes (from 154 to 175 pounds) – including numerous world champions. His ability to successfully traverse the dangerous middleweight divisions between semi-middleweight and super-middleweight is reminiscent of legends like “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns. At 35 years old and with 20 years of pro experience, Canelo brings unparalleled consistency at elite level.
Crawford (41-0, 31 knockouts) came up through the classic US amateur route, becoming national champion and world champion in four weight classes. His breakthrough came in 2013 when he defeated Breidis Prescott. Since 2014, a world title has been at stake in each of his fights. The highlight was his dominant victory over Errol Spence Jr. in 2023, which put him unchallenged at the top of the welterweight division. After winning the half-middleweight title against Israil Madrimov, he is now skipping the middleweight division to challenge Mexican superstar Canelo. The parallels with Roberto Durán are striking – he also skipped weight classes and won in higher divisions. Like Durán against Iran Barkley, Crawford is also the underdog at the age of 37.
That two of the best pound-for-pound boxers of their generation are close enough in weight and athletic form to deliver a relevant fight is a rarity. Canelo-Crawford combines star power, sporting significance and stylistic excitement – a fight that came out of nowhere but feels like destiny.
Text by Robin Josten