Former world title challenger Gabriel Rosado feels {that a} combat between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford doesn’t make sense as a result of the Mexican star has no upside. With the restricted upside for Canelo, it makes zero sense for him to accommodate Crawford until he’s simply fascinated about getting paid a boatload of cash by the Saudis.
If the undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) is victorious towards the soon-to-be 37-year-old Crawford, he gained’t obtain credit score as a result of he’ll be transferring up in weight two divisions after one combat at 154 towards Israiel Madrimov.
Crawford gained’t have earned his place to problem Canelo by defeating any of the fighters at 168, so it might be a state of affairs the place solely he can achieve. He’ll get the massive payday from preventing Canelo, and if he loses, he’ll have an excuse to inform his followers, blaming it on him not belonging at 168.
If Crawford is even aggressive towards Canelo, he would come out of the combat wanting nice, whereas Alvarez’s legacy could be diminished.
Issues could be totally different if Crawford went as much as 168 and beat somebody like David Benavidez or David Morrell. No less than if he beat these guys, Canelo would get credit score for defeating Crawford, and if he struggled, he wouldn’t be criticized. Nonetheless, Crawford has no intention of preventing Benavidez or Morrell. He simply desires to skip the road, which places Canelo in a foul place.
Canelo would possibly select to accommodate Crawford anyway as a result of the cash the Saudis pays him might be so good that he can overlook doubtlessly shedding or not getting credit score for successful.
“When you’re in Canelo’s sneakers, Crawford has nothing to lose as a result of if he loses, he’s not meant to combat at 168. He has nothing to lose and every part to realize,” mentioned Gabe Rosado to Battle Hub TV about Terence Crawford is in a no-lose state of affairs transferring as much as 168 to problem Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed tremendous middleweight championship in 2025.
It’s a nightmarish state of affairs for Canelo as a result of he’s not getting something out of the Crawford combat however cash. It’s the identical state of affairs Crawford could be in if he fought somebody two divisions under him.
If a younger phenom from 140 moved as much as 154 and fought Crawford, he wouldn’t get credit score for beating the fighter, and if he struggled or misplaced, he’d by no means hear the tip of it.
“It’s his [Crawford] largest payday, and it offers him the chance to combat ‘The Face of Boxing’ Canelo,” mentioned Rosado. “It’s a win-win state of affairs for Crawford. Canelo, then again, if he beats Crawford, ‘Nicely, you’re presupposed to beat Crawford as a result of he’s the smaller man.’ Then, in the event you don’t win [you get dumped on by the fans],” mentioned Rosado.
Crawford is the one one who good points in a combat towards Canelo, and it’s off-putting that he could be given this chance with out incomes it by preventing a minimum of two of the highest guys within the weight class to earn the shot.
“It’s a kind of issues that I don’t suppose it is smart for Canelo. It makes all of the sense on the planet for Crawford,” mentioned Rosado. “I’d choose to see Canelo combat the blokes at that weight class. Who is aware of who he’s preventing subsequent? There’s speak of him preventing Berlanga, after which they are saying Eubank. Eubank is a smaller man, however he’s beating Eubank straightforward.”
The one fighter that boxing followers wish to see Canelo combat at 168 is David Benavidez, and he’s not a real tremendous middleweight. He’s a youthful fighter who can nonetheless boil down super quantities of weight to compete in a division under his body. Benavidez is a real mild heavyweight, and Canelo and his supervisor are nicely conscious of that. It might be like Artur Beterbiev or Dmitry Bivol boiling all the way down to combat at 168 and massacring the smaller opposition in that weight class, wanting invincible.
That’s what Benavidez does—he makes himself look higher than he truly is. He’s a weight bully. He doesn’t wish to combat in his pure weight class at 175 as a result of he has no benefits, and his profession wouldn’t excel.
“Eubank received knocked out by Liam Smith. Eubank by no means confirmed that he can beat world-class guys. He doesn’t combat at that sort of stage. It is smart for Canelo as a result of he at all times wished to combat in London. That’s the upside for Canelo, headlining in London. Within the Berlanga combat, he’s the favourite, clearly,” mentioned Rosado.
Chris Eubank Jr. has operated on the home stage by most of his profession and solely as soon as deviated from that path towards George Groves and was schooled. Canelo would simply beat Eubank Jr., however that’s not up for debate. Like Rosado says, the primary purpose Canelo would combat Eubank Jr. is in order that he can combat in London and bask within the limelight.
