Canelo Alvarez will defend his undisputed super middleweight title against Terence Crawford on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s a fight of epic proportions with both their legacy’s on the line.

Crawford, 41-0-0 with 31 KOs, is looking to become the first male boxer to become the undisputed champion in three weight classes. However, he has a tough task at hand as he has to get the better of a pound-for-pound great in Canelo Alvarez. The Mexican is 63-2-2 with 39 KO wins.

Out of Alvarez’s 67 professional fights, a handful have been difficult. Back in 2014, Erislandy Lara gave Alvarez one of the hardest fights of his career, which the Mexican won via split decision. Lara used his movement well to get Canelo to hesitate, something William Scull tried to do in May, but he was heavily criticized for avoiding a ‘fight’.

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Erislandy Lara tells Terence Crawford how to beat Canelo Alvarez

Lara reckons Crawford has to use his legs well and move in and out of range. He added that how Crawford handles Canelo’s power could determine a lot. Speaking to FightHype, the 42-year-old WBA middleweight champion said:

“I see it as an interesting 50-50 fight. I feel that Canelo is very strong right now, and I want to see how Crawford handles the power, especially in the early rounds, and what’s going to happen.”

Lara added: “I remember fighting Canelo 14 years (11 years) ago. I remember, I used my legs real good. As long as Crawford uses his legs and doesn’t let Canelo hit him in the arms and beat him up on the arms, he has a very good chance of winning.”

Lara’s advice could be crucial for Crawford, as Canelo himself recently praised the Cuban-American very highly. Movement might actually be key for Crawford.

That said, judging by Crawford’s career, he is a fighter at heart. Hence, it’s unlikely ‘Bud’ would look to circle around the ring the entire time and at certain point, he might look to engage with Canelo.

How he handles what’s being dished out could turn out to be decisive.

For the past two years, Terence Crawford had his sights set on one man: Canelo Alvarez.

At 37, and nearing the twilight of a remarkable career, the two-weight undisputed champion isn’t just chasing belts — he’s chasing legacy. And to him, nothing would define it better than defeating the biggest name in boxing. At first, the fight felt like a long shot. Canelo kept brushing it off, showing little interest. But then, one man changed everything — and turned the impossible into a reality.

GEA Chairman Turki Alalshikh signed Canelo for a four-fight deal, kicking off the contract with the William Scull fight. Now, Canelo is set to face Crawford on September 13th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, live on Netflix. Although the reported purse is $200 million — allocating $150 million for Canelo and $50 million for Crawford — ‘Bud’ told Ring Champs with Ak and Barak that he is only making $10 million from the fight. This revelation sparked speculation that Crawford might be stepping into the ring with Canelo primarily for the paycheck. But is that really the case?

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Boxing insider Rick Glaser doesn’t seem to think so, as he revealed the real motive behind Crawford’s decision to climb several weight classes to fight Canelo. “I know it’s hard for some of you to fathom,” Glaser wrote on X. “But @TerenceCrawford is fighting Canelo for one reason, and one reason only, it’s about legacy.” He addressed the speculations about Crawford’s intentions to make big money before hanging up the gloves, noting, “Crawford wants to be everything a fighter is [supposed] to be in Boxing, and that is about legacy [through] challenging himself.”

Glaser concluded by writing, “Terence Crawford is going for all the gusto. While other fighters in this era talk big, [they] avoid the biggest challenges.” If he wins, Crawford will become the first three-weight undisputed champion of the four-belt era, having previously unified all the belts in the super lightweight and welterweight divisions.

Regardless, during his conversation with Ak and Barak, Crawford seemed to echo Glasser’s take on the fight, noting, “I’m doing it for the opportunity, baby, the legacy,” he said. “The legacy outweighs the money. Three-time undisputed, ooo-wee coming soon.”

Crawford’s intentions for the fight aside, can he realistically beat Canelo Alvarez, clearly the heavier man?

Erislandy Lara reveals how Terence Crawford can beat Canelo Alvarez

As ‘Bud’ Crawford prepares for the biggest fight of his career against ‘Cinnamon’ later this year, Canelo’s former opponent, Erislandy Lara, has offered key advice for Crawford that could tilt the fight in his favor. The Cuban boxer, who gave Canelo one of the toughest fights of his career in 2014, suggests that movement will be key in Crawford’s victory.

I used my legs really well,” Lara told Fight Hype. “As long as Crawford uses his legs and doesn’t let Canelo hit him in the arms and beat him up on the arms, he has a very good chance of winning.” Lara emphasized the importance of avoiding damage early in the game. “I want to see how Crawford handles the power, especially in the early rounds,” he added. “It’s an interesting 50-50 fight.”

Despite all the strategies and advice, only fight night will determine who truly gains the upper hand in the ring. When it comes to Crawford’s motivation, both he and Glasser point to legacy.