Terence Crawford vs Canelo: Dream Fight or Álvarez’s Worst Nightmare?

Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez and Terence Crawford are reportedly set to face off on 13 September 2025. According to ESPN journalist Mike Coppinger, while no contracts have been signed yet, the fighters have reached a verbal agreement to fight at super middleweight (76.2 kg). 

Crawford vs Canelo Odds

The UK betting sites see Canelo Álvarez as favourite in this bout. You can bet on him to win at 9/20 . He has won his last 5 fights, although his potential opponent is very strong too.

Terence Crawford has been unbeaten. However, so far, in this bout he’s not a favourite. You can bet on him at 31/20

Statistics and Physical date

Canelo holds a clear advantage in size and weight. This will be uncharted territory for Crawford, and it remains uncertain whether he will retain his speed and endurance after bulking up. However, Crawford does have a significant reach advantage, which could play a key role.

Canelo vs Crawford: The Story Behind the Fight

For boxing fans, Canelo’s choice of opponents has been a hot topic of debate. It’s not just Oscar De La Hoya who repeatedly criticises Álvarez for avoiding tough competition—many within the boxing community share this view.

Statistically, Canelo’s last truly competitive fight was his third bout against Gennady Golovkin, where the widest scorecard margin was just 116-112. Since then, he has been accused of sidestepping elite-level threats.

One of the key figures pushing for tougher fights was Turki Al-Sheikh, who attempted to organise showdowns with both Terence Crawford and David Benavidez. However, Canelo refused negotiations, instead opting to face 27-year-old Puerto Rican prospect Edgar Berlanga, who is still considered raw at the top level.

Crawford, meanwhile, has made his intentions clear—he no longer cares about title defences and is fully focused on landing the Canelo fight. However, the WBO pressured him to defend his title against Sebastian Fundora, delaying potential talks with Álvarez.

The fight seemed to be on hold indefinitely until 21 January, when ESPN’s Mike Coppinger broke the news that both sides had verbally agreed to a fight at super middleweight in September 2025.

Surprisingly, it has also emerged that Canelo may fight again before then, on 2 May 2025, with reports suggesting that his opponent could be YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul Jake Paul. While Canelo has accepted the challenge of Crawford, it appears he is still keen on a lucrative bout beforehand.

Crawford vs Canelo Prediction

The biggest question on everyone’s mind is: How will Crawford adapt to the extra weight? Moving from 69.85 kg to 76.2 kg is a drastic shift, and while he insists that "your Canelo isn’t that big," history suggests otherwise.

In 2019, he knocked out Sergey Kovalev at light heavyweight (79.4 kg). In 2022, he went the distance with Dmitry Bivol, losing a competitive decision. In his last fight, he faced Edgar Berlanga, who rehydrated to 192,904 lb after the weigh-in—meaning Canelo absorbed shots from an opponent nearly 26 lb heavier than Crawford’s ideal weight class.

With Canelo’s proven durability, it’s unlikely that Crawford’s power punches will trouble him. Of course, Crawford brings elite-level jab accuracy, speed, and balance, which could allow him to outbox Canelo—if his footwork remains sharp at the higher weight.

One concern for Canelo is his stamina in the later rounds. His fight with Berlanga exposed his vulnerability to high-pressure attacks in the championship rounds. However, unlike Berlanga, Crawford does not possess devastating knockout power at this weight.

If Canelo cuts off the octagon and traps Crawford on the ropes, he could potentially end the fight early with one of his trademark overhand bombs.