AT FIRST, it seemed like a dream. It sounds ridiculous on the surface and even less ridiculous when examined in more detail.
This is usually the case until Turki Alalshikh gets involved by revealing his interest in the fight, and puts one part of it into his promotion (August 3, when Riyadh Season packs its bags and moves to LA). Then, suddenly, as financial barriers crumble like floating castles, everything becomes amazingly clear and possible.
Terence Crawford, who weighed in at 137 pounds for the first time in 2008; against Canelo, who weighed 139 pounds to make his debut in 2005.
They flourished and grew over the years, growing in size and importance. The timelines may go through a weird universe, but Crawford is now filling in as a man to face.
Both are still technically undisputed champions. There is little clinging to other belts as the shiny leather is ripped off at the waist by accreditation bodies who want their silver plated items back in the shop window and available to the little people.
After defeating Errol Spence Jr and thus ending his undisputed welterweight division victory, Crawford sat happily in the headlines, exploring his options for the future—until now.
Ever since it was announced that he would step up to challenge WBA super-welterweight title holder Israel Madrimov at BMO Stadium, 147 scouts have been running under the stake, waiting to pick up Crawford’s crumbs as they fall.
Jaron Ennis has received the IBF version. Brian Norman Jr and Giovanni Santillan challenged for the WBO interim title while Crawford claimed that and the WBC crown.
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez with his belts following his September 17 victory against Gennadiy Golovkin in their three-fight series (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Adding to the tangled web that enveloped both Crawford and Canelo, Mario Barrios beat Fabian Maidana to win the WBC Interim welterweight title on Canelo’s undercard. Eimantas Stanionis, who defeated Gabriel Maestre on the same card, holds the WBA version(s).
Speaking of Canelo, he is dealing with his own undeniable issues. Joining Stanionis and Barrios in the supporting part of May 4 was a certain William Scull. The German-based Cuban defeated Sean Hemphill in eight rounds in the arena as Scull marched for Canelo’s IBF belt.
Although Scull isn’t a big name in the grand scheme of things, he has earned his chance and the IBF has ordered Canelo and Scull’s people to put their heads together and finalize a deal to fight.
To no one’s surprise, Canelo is reportedly set to vacate the title, leaving Scull free to fight his next opponent (Vladimir Shishkin) and end Canelo’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight king.
That would re-open the possibilities for Crawford’s upcoming clash, should ‘Bud’ find a way past Madrimov unscathed. All is neat and tidy until Canelo reveals that he has yet to decide and may consider a clash with Scull after all.
Like a magnet in the middle, pulling Canelo down and Crawford up, Amir Khan was on the receiving end of each fighter’s wrath. Amir hadn’t even taken the time to sample his name in the lights of Las Vegas when Canelo turned his lights out in 2016.
Crawford’s loss, in 2019, was particularly interesting as Amir struggled to make it through the contest before suffering a serious injury that ruled him out of action, handing Crawford a disappointing victory. Amir has hung around long enough to know exactly what the Nebraskan brings to the table. Even with that inside knowledge, taking Canelo’s bombs is another matter entirely.
Amir Khan beat Terence Crawford in his last fight Action Images/Andrew Couldridge
“I wouldn’t want Crawford to go into a fight like that because, at the end of the day, this guy is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He is an amazing warrior. Why did he do [Crawford] How much weight do you need to give? And I know what it’s like to give so much weight. It is not appropriate,” warned Khan.
Citing Crawford’s success, his family and the fact that he, like Canelo, is getting older, Khan seemed hesitant to recommend the weight jump. That said, the financial incentives, for someone who has fought his entire career for money and respect, may be too much to turn down.
“If he is paid a lot of money, why then? When I fought him I earned about ten million. And I was thinking, maybe, because the way I looked at it was that I was fighting a big guy and yes, there is a lot of risk in it, but at the same time, in addition to the risk, I used to fight three or four times to make that kind of money.
“Those are three hard training camps. That’s three times taking punches as punishment. That is being away from your family and your children three times. So, you know, it’s difficult,” added Khan, analyzing the pros and cons of it Debate News.
“So maybe just do it for that big payday and call it a day. Which I don’t blame him for doing either. But like I said, you have to respect the weight distribution.”
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