Canelo Alvarez gave rival Terence Crawford the ultimate compliment.

Canelo and Crawford are gearing up to fight in a blockbuster clash for the undisputed WBA, WBC IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles on September 13 in Las Vegas.

It has been a largely respectful build-up to the intriguing contest to boxing’s biggest fight this year.

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Both Alvarez and Crawford have paid respect to each other’s brilliance in the squared circle, despite having a push and a shove during a heated press conference in June.

‘Bud’ was asked which fightershe believed to be better than his rival Alvarez from a list in July, and in response he named De La Hoya, Bivol and Mayweather, with the latter two having beaten the Mexican.

In a recent interview with the Ring Magazine, Canelo was then instructed to follow the same idea, only responding when a boxer that he thought was better than Crawford was named.

The interviewer listed: Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Surprisingly, Canelo remained silent effectively ranking Crawford above the list of prestigious operators.

The Mexican himself holds history with Bivol and Mayweather, with both men handing Canelo a loss as they crossed paths in the ring.

So it comes as a big surprise that he has selected both fighters above Crawford.

But it shows that the current king of the division is not taking his new foe at all lightly, and will leave no stone unturned as his training camp continues.

Why is Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford such a big fight?

Both fighters are entering this highly anticipated super-fight with victories in their most recent bouts.

In May, Canelo claimed victory over William Scull, unifying the Cuban’s IBF title with his own WBA, WBC, and WBO belts.

Meanwhile Crawford hasn’t fought since Last September, but became a champion in a fourth weight category in a hard-fought win over Israil Madrimov.

He is stepping into the biggest fight of his career with a perfect 41-0 record.

But the American has never boxed higher than super-welterweight, and he will make the jump up two weight classes in this super-fight on September 13.

Should he take victory and capture the belts, it would be a monumental achievement.

And many believe it will see him brush shoulders with the all-time greats, including Floyd Mayweather, whom he will equal as a five-weight world champion with victory.

As for the champion Alvarez, it would be a seismic win and would see him wipe out yet another leading challenger.

Victory could open up avenues for further lucrative bouts, including a UK debut fight with Hamzah Sheeraz or Chris Eubank Jr.

Timothy Bradley has boldly claimed that even a performance-enhanced version of Canelo Alvarez would still fall short against Terence Crawford when the two pound-for-pound stars collide on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium.

Canelo and Crawford battle it out for all four versions of the super middleweight title, with Bradley firmly backing the underdog in the fight.

Bradley’s Bold Prediction for Canelo vs. Crawford
Speaking to Fight Hub TV, the Hall of Famer didn’t hold back when asked about Canelo’s chances against the undefeated three-division champion.

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“It doesn’t matter if Canelo is on that s*** (PEDS), he isn’t beating Terence Crawford,” said Bradley. “You heard it here first.”

Bradley, who’s never shied away from controversial takes, cast doubt on Canelo’s recent performances while giving complete confidence to Crawford’s continued dominance at 41-0.

“Look at the performances of Canelo. They have been alright, they haven’t been wow, they haven’t blown me away. So I’m not worried,” he continued. “The same will go with Crawford.”

Crawford’s SNAC Partnership and Doping Concerns
The conversation also veered into the topic of nutrition and supplementation, specifically regarding Crawford’s association with SNAC, the company founded by notorious BALCO figure Victor Conte.

A report earlier in the week raised eyebrows over the partnership, but Bradley dismissed concerns about doping.

“I know he is with SNAC and some news came out this week, but I personally believe that SNAC is clean,” said Bradley. “I think it’s a conflict of interest in the fact that [Conte] knows how to beat the system – quote unquote – but at the same time, I think SNAC has got products going around the world to all these athletes, and they are testing and they are not testing positive.”

“So I think they are safe, there is no doubt about it. So I am not worried about that. With that being said, I’m good.”

The Canelo vs Crawford clash happens under the guidance of Turki Alalshikh, TKO, and Dana White, with the super-fight holding legacy-defining repercussions for the winner.

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.