Terence Crawford is moving up two weight divisions to vie for greatness as he challenges Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed super-middleweight titles.
Terence Crawford is putting his undefeated record on the line after 41 wins as he moves up multiple weight classes to fight the face of boxing in Canelo.
The fight has garnered the attention of the masses, and whilst many write Bud off due to his weight disadvantage, including Abel Sanchez, who thinks Crawford’s weight will be an issue, there is one man who once shared the ring with Crawford, who has made a bold prediction ahead of the fight.
Mean Machine picks Crawford to win years after dropping him
In 2019, Crawford faced 21-0-1 Egidijus Kavaliauskas.
The Omaha native defeated ‘Mean Machine’ in the ninth round, after dropping him in rounds seven and nine, but the real drama happened in the third round when Crawford looked the most vulnerable he ever has.
About halfway through the third round, a right hand from Kavaliauskas lands on the chin of Crawford, wobbling him and forcing him to cling onto his opponent as a barrage of punches is unleashed upon him.
At some point during the flurry between the two tangled men, Crawford’s knee touches down on the canvas, which should be a knockdown.
The referee instead rules it a slip, and urges both men to continue.
Whilst he may not have officially dropped Bud, Kavaliauskas will always be known as the man who put Bud down, and has now given his prediction for Crawford’s fight with Canelo.
Mean Machine suggests size does not matter, pointing to Usyk’s win over Tyson Fury, later adding Crawford’s skillset will make all the difference,
“The size doesn’t matter. I think the fighter makes the fight. I’ve seen Crawford’s training, and he’s big too right now. […] He looks strong, massively strong.”
Kavaliauskas stated Crawford’s timing and accuracy will make the most impact on the fight.
Terence Crawford’s last fight could prove Canelo is a step too far
In his last fight, Crawford edged a razor-close decision over Israil Madrimov over 12 rounds.
Madrimov was the WBO interim super-welterweight champion, having captured the title in just 11 fights.
He gave Crawford trouble at the new weight, with many suggesting a further two divisions will be no good for the American fighter at all.
Madrimov has since lost to Vergil Ortiz Jr., who beat him by a slightly wider margin than Crawford did.