TERENCE CRAWFORD has explained his reasoning for going to straight to super-middleweight to face Canelo Alvarez rather than taking a warm-up fight at his new weight class.
The 37-year-old aims to become a triple undisputed world champion when he takes on the Mexican for all four world titles on September 13 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
After a 41-fight career spanning 17 years Crawford has won multiple titles including undisputed at super-lightweight and welterweight. Ten months ago he moved from welterweight (147lbs) to super-welterweight (154lbs) to dethrone WBA champion Israil Madrimov. Now, he moves up another 14lbs to super-middleweight.
Crawford revealed why he did not take an in-between bout at super-middleweight or one division below at middleweight.
“If you look at my career I always went straight to the champion and every weight class I went to except 140, I had to fight for a vacant title but I always went for the champion. Crawford told Mail Sport Boxing. I think whether I fight a non-champion or a champion it’s going to be the same thing.”
The press tour for the September super-fight is well and truly underway and yesterday in New York the fighters’ came face to face once again after their first presser in Riyadh. This time fight promoter Dana White had to intervene after Canelo pushed Crawford back prompting ‘Bud’ to march towards him before security intervened. It may have been an excuse for the champion to use his strength, an advantage he would appear to have, but IQ and ring craft also comes into it as the American explained.
“All of that goes hand in hand,” Crawford said. “My style, you know, I’m very powerful, explosive, strong and that’s why I have the ability to adapt to a lot of fighters because I can do so many things in the ring.”
