Terence Crawford’s latest training footage has raised concerns among fans who feel the added weight may be slowing him down ahead of his September 13 bout with Canelo Alvarez.
Crawford will jump two weight classes to challenge for the undisputed super middleweight title in what is only his second fight above 147. After beating Israil Madrimov at 154 pounds, Crawford now prepares to fight at 168 — a division where Canelo has reigned supreme, having become undisputed on two occasions. Crawford showed in the Madrimov fight that he could be hurt, with some even feeling Bud lost the fight. Similar power shots from Canelo could cause extensive damage.
Reports indicate Crawford has bulked up from 155 to 186 pounds during camp, with a focus on resistance training and eating more. While that may help with size and power, fans have noticed a drop in speed and sharpness in recent footage. The following clip shows Crawford in the gym, as the American has bulked up.
READ: Canelo Wants To Move Away From Super Middleweight Division To Face One Man After Terence Crawford
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Roy Jones Jr. has previously spoken about the weight issue. Jermell Charlo tried and failed to beat Canelo Alvarez in 2023, coming up short on the scorecards when he jumped up from 154 pounds. Charlo, unlike Crawford, had boxed mostly at 154. Jones Jr. gave his take ahead of the Canelo fight, saying he expects Alvarez to control the action. However, he believes Crawford has a real shot — but only if he dominates the center of the ring and forces the pace. Interestingly, Jones did not see weight being the issue.
“The weight won’t be the factor, the factor will be how Canelo chooses to make the fight. Canelo comes out and does what Canelo should do, Canelo wins the fight. If Canelo comes out and does what he shouldn’t do, Crawford wins the fight (Crawford must) control the center of the ring. If Crawford is allowed to control the center, he’ll win,” Jones said
