Terence Crawford has FOUR-WEIGHT undisputed chance in 2026
Fresh off his masterful victory over Canelo Alvarez at super middleweight, Crawford has rightfully taken a deserved rest while enjoying his latest spell as pound-for-pound number one.
But as the dust settles, conversations have already begun around the Omaha great’s next move.
JUST IN: Terence Crawford hints at weight switch to make further
Crawford himself hinted that the middleweight division could be on his radar.
“I’m going to sit down with my team, and we are going to discuss what’s next in the future for Terence Crawford, and who knows, I might go down to 160,” Crawford said in the aftermath of his exceptional win.
That simple tease opened the door to speculation, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the men already operating at 160 pounds.
Janibek’s Promise
Unified middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly, currently holding two belts, has been vocal about his own ambitions.
“Everyone knows who I am. I’m a middleweight nightmare. Next week, a long-anticipated announcement will shake up the boxing world,” Janibek promised.
For now, Crawford won’t be part of that announcement directly. The Kazakh southpaw may first need to clear his own path by unifying further titles against Erislandy Lara or Carlos Adames.
If Janibek can secure three belts, or even collect the full four by early 2026, he could tempt Crawford to step up for one final push. A four-belt undisputed clash at middleweight would instantly rank as one of boxing’s most lucrative and significant fights due to the extension of the current benchmark.
Timing the Shot
Crawford, who has already conquered all four titles at 140, 147, and 168, may not want to slog through the middleweight ranks traditionally. At 37, by the time the fight could materialize, ‘Bud’ is more likely to wait for the most significant opportunity rather than engage in multiple tune-ups.
That leaves Janibek, Lara, and Adames with the responsibility of doing the donkey work: piecing together the belts to set the stage for a blockbuster showdown.
Should Janibek succeed, the carrot of facing Crawford in late 2026 would be worth the effort. The winner would get all the belts, and Crawford, in particular, would achieve the unthinkable: undisputed world titles across four different weight classes.
A Historic Horizon
Boxing has long celebrated undisputed stars, and gaining a fourth weight-class crown would elevate Crawford into a stratosphere that could make a repeat unimaginable.
Crawford’s path isn’t guaranteed, but the signs are there, and the Omaha man may only get one bite of the cherry. The opportunity may never come around again.
With Janibek openly signaling major plans and Crawford leaving the door ajar, 2026 could mark the year that Crawford rewrites undisputed boxing history once again.
Crawford’s Achievements
Undisputed super lightweight champion | 2017
Undisputed welterweight champion | 2023
Undisputed super middleweight champion | 2025
Undisputed middleweight champion | 2026 ????
