Andre Ward remains to be pushing for unified tremendous middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez to combat 154-pounder Terence Crawford as a result of he thinks the Nebraska native may “outbox” the Mexican star. Ward doesn’t perceive why Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) received’t give the 37-year-old Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) a shot.
Ought to Canelo Struggle Crawford?
Canelo has already mentioned it’s not a combat he’s taken with as a result of it’s a no-win kind of match, the place he’s criticized it doesn’t matter what occurs. The one one which comes out of the combat in an important place is Crawford, who wouldn’t be criticized if he loses as a result of Canelo fights two weight courses above him and is way heavier.
Ward says nothing about Crawford not exhibiting initiative to maneuver as much as 168 and beat the highest fighters to earn a title shot towards Canelo.
Why Isn’t Crawford Incomes the Struggle?
Individuals must earn issues by onerous work, and Ward isn’t urgent Crawford to maneuver as much as 168 and earn the combat towards Canelo by beating these contenders:
– Christian Mbilli
– Diego Pacheco
– Osleys Iglesias
– Jaime Munguia
– Caleb Plant
If Crawford have been hungry, he may combat all 5 of these guys within the subsequent 12 months and be knocking on Canelo’s door for a world title shot by early 2026. Why isn’t Crawford doing that? Is he afraid of dropping to 1 or all of these fighters and being weeded out of the Canelo sweepstakes?
Crawford is coming off a detailed 12-round unanimous Resolution in his debut at 154 towards 11-fight novice Israil Madrimov on August third. He barely received that combat in his first combat at junior middleweight, and he hasn’t fought any of the opposite killers at 154, like Bakhram Murtazaliev and Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Crawford has by no means been at 160, and that will be a logical step to work his method to preventing Canelo. Why isn’t Crawford preventing IBF and WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly? Does Crawford really feel he doesn’t must work for issues in life? Different fighters are working, so why isn’t he?
“The sport is totally different. There’s numerous technique happening with guys not taking fights and why they’re not taking fights,” mentioned Andre Ward to Stephen A. Jackson’s YouTube channel. “I just like the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez combat.
The sport is totally different. And Crawford is a part of it. Why isn’t he taking dangerous fights towards Murataliev and Vergil Jr. at 154? Why isn’t Crawford preventing Janibek at 160 or David Benavidez? There are fighters that aren’t taking fights, and Crawford is considered one of them. Ward simply isn’t calling him out for ducking guys.
“Lots of people say I’m loopy for saying that Terence Crawford can win that combat. My factor is, if you happen to don’t assume Terence Crawford can outbox Canelo Alvarez, you could have to verify your eyes,” mentioned Ward.
The 37-year-old Crawford barely beat Madrimov in his debut at 154, and it’s apparent from that combat that he’s not going to chop the mustard if he jumps two weight courses to combat Canelo at 168.
Crawford may make issues simpler on Canelo if he moved as much as 168 and beat Iglesias, Pacheco, Mbilli, Plant, and Munguia. If he can beat these guys or David Morrell, he’d seemingly get a title shot towards Canelo.
Canelo’s Historical past of Preventing Smaller Opponents
“There’s a purpose why Canelo isn’t leaping into that combat as a result of he fought Amir Khan, which was two weight courses under him [correction: one weight class]. So, the burden factor isn’t that huge a deal,” mentioned Ward.
Khan solely went up one weight class, not two, when Canelo fought him in 2016. Canelo knew Khan would come to combat. With Crawford, he already is aware of he’s going to make use of the Mayweather blueprint by boxing and shifting all evening lengthy.
His coach, Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, already mentioned he’s going to have Crawford use the Mayweather sport plan. In hindsight, BoMac ought to have stored his yap shut as a result of he gave Canelo much more of a purpose to not combat him.
“That’s a combat [Canelo vs. Crawford] I’d actually prefer to see. That’s a harmful combat for each fighters for various causes. That’s a combat I want to see, and that’s an all-time nice combat that folks [would like to see],” mentioned Ward.
“The idea is from the general public that he’s [Canelo] 30 lbs heavier. That will be an important basic combat,” mentioned Ward,
