By: Sean Crose
People may not have taken it seriously at first, but now things are looking about as serious as they can be. Make no mistake about it, Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford will be fighting this September in Las Vegas. A Friday press conference highlighted just how real, and just how interesting this fight may be. Having moved up several weight classes in order to face undisputed, super middleweight champion Canelo, Crawford looked to be his usual confident relaxed self at Friday’s press conference. “I called Canelo out because he’s the last great fighter among the era that surpassed us,” Crawford said. “We both came up in that era. This is my mega fight. This is my moment.”
Yet, Canelo too is often calm and confident and Friday’s press conference was no exception. “He’s a great fighter,” Canelo said of Crawford, “but he’s no Canelo.” As for those who are now giving Crawford a chance Canelo just had a few words to say. “He’s not going to beat me,” he stated. “Don’t worry about it.” Crawford wasn’t going to let those awards pass by without responding. “Those belts are coming home with me,” he said. “I’m taking them and there ain’t nothing you’re going to be able to do about it come fight night.”
As things stand, Canelo is now a slim favorite to beat Crawford. He was far more heavily favored a few weeks back, but now people are taking Crawford’s chances seriously. For one, Crawford is an incredible fighter and an undefeated one, a man who’s won world titles the numerous divisions. For another thing, there are those who feel that Canelo has lost a step, and that he isn’t the fighter he was just recently. Canelo however, didn’t seem concerned at Friday’s press conference. In fact, he came across as being as coolly professional as ever.
“I do what I’m supposed to do in my fights,” he said “I know my abilities.” One of those abilities of course is being able to take a shot without getting hurt. Canelo is famous for his endurance and his strength. Crawford, however isn’t overly impressed with Canelo’s reputation for being able to take a lot of damage and not let it hurt him. “Any fighter can be knocked out,” he said. Yet Crawford made it clear early on in the press conference that he wasn’t going to pointlessly go for broke; that he was going to fight anyway he could to win against Canelo. “However I gotta fight, I’m going to win. I’m not going to let someone else force me or tell me how to fight,” Crawford said. “I won’t be running. I can tell you that,” he added.
Crawford wasn’t denying the fact that he was truly challenging himself by moving up to fight a boxer of Canelo’s caliber this fall. ” I’m a risk taker,” he said, “and I ain’t scared.” It’s doubtful Canelo is scared either. Neither of these fighters is known for being particularly squeamish. When you have skill sets like Canelo and Crawford do, you can afford to be fearless.
