Trainer Abel Sanchez says for Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) to receive credit for defeating Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) on September thirteenth, the final result can’t be controversial. It may’t be a robbery.
Some fans believed Crawford’s last victory over former WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov was a robbery last 12 months on August 3, 2024. Terence was the A-side in that fight. So, it’s not a surprise that he got the win.
“He’d be in the highest 10, possibly the highest 5. But top 10 needless to say,” said trainer Abel Sanchez to Fighthype when asked where Terence Crawford must be placed within the all-time great list if he defeats Canelo Alvarez on September thirteenth.
Even with a victory over the 35-year-old Canelo, it will be hard to position Crawford in the highest 5 all-time greats. Canelo is just too old for Terence to be seen as an all-time great. If Crawford beat these three, we could call him an all-time great:
- David Benavidez
- Dmitry Bivol
- David Morrell
“He’s going to need to beat Canelo, and Canelo not get robbed. It may’t be a present. He’s going to need to beat him down so there’s no doubt at the top. If there may be, I feel all of us get cheated, and he gets cheated,” said Sanchez.
Crawford shouldn’t be under any illusions that he’s going to be given a choice. He’s the B-side on this fight, and the competition is happening in Las Vegas.
“There’s no way on this earth that ought to even be contemplated,” said Abel when asked if Crawford must be placed in the highest five of the all-time greats if he knocks out Canelo. “Gennadiy Golovkin, who might be certainly one of the toughest hitters of his era, couldn’t hurt him.
“Bivol, who’s a reasonably good puncher himself at a heavier weight, couldn’t hurt him. Didn’t Gamboa hurt Terence? You’re talking a few guy [Canelo] who has been hit by one of the best and the largest and has never been rocked at that level. For me, I wouldn’t even contemplate that [about Canelo being knocked out by Terence],” said Sanchez.
Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol hit Canelo with consecutive shots within the fifth round of their fight in 2022, but then inexplicably backed off reasonably than trying to finish him. Bivol is quite a bit greater than Crawford.
“It may occur, but they each need to be in the identical weight division,” said Sanchez about Crawford knocking out Canelo on September thirteenth.
It might require Crawford to land the right shot to get Canelo out of there, and he might not be willing to take a seat down on his shots after he gets a taste of Canelo’s power.
Last Updated on 08/27/2025