By Allan Fox: Former featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. gives Terence Crawford a better chance of defeating Canelo Alvarez than Jermell Charlo in his fight with the undisputed super middleweight champion on September 30th.
Russell Jr. feels that Jermell (35-1-1, 19 KOs) and his brother Jermall aren’t as dedicated to their craft, not putting in the hard work to keep improving their game and putting too much energy into social media.
With that said, Russell Jr. thinks Canelo (59-2-2, 39 KOs) will beat Crawford with “smooth pressure” if that fight happens. Canelo has the experience at 168, and Crawford would be putting on weight that would slow him down.
Although Crawford looked untouchable in his last fight against Errol Spence Jr., he can be hit when facing opposition that isn’t weight-drained from losing 50+ lbs in training camp and wasn’t involved in car crashes at 100 mph.
It’s easy to look good when you’re opponent has been in a car crash, went through a fat farm, and then chose to run five miles uphill on Mount Hamilton in Nevada in the afternoon sun a week before the fight.
Crawford a better chance against Canelo
“That’s a smart move,” said Gary Russell Jr. to MillCity Boxing about Terence Crawford, saying he wants to fight the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo fight.
“We’re prizefighter, why not? Russell Jr. on Crawford wanting the Canelo-Jermell winner. “Go get the bag. That’s what we’re here for. Both of those fights should generate a good bag. That’s a good move.
“Now, as far as him [Crawford] winning both of those, I don’t know about that. I think he has a better chance with Charlo than Canelo. I think he’s more experienced. This is the thing: I like Charlo, I like both of them, but I’m not 100% sold on them based on the fact that I don’t feel like they’ve reached their full potential.”
What Russell Jr. is leaving out is whether Canelo will choose to fight Crawford. Allan Fox doesn’t think Canelo will.
Unless Crawford proves himself worthy of getting that massive payday by beating two or three of these fighters at 168, Canelo won’t give him the time a day:
- David Benavidez
- Dmitry Bivol
- David Morrell Jr.
- Caleb Plant
- Demetrius Andrade
Canelo knows the backlash he’d receive from the boxing public for fighting Crawford would be huge, so he could be looking to cover himself by insisting that the Omaha, Nebraska native beat at least two, if not three, of the above list, before he’d agree to fight him.
If Crawford beats Benavidez & Bivol in back-to-back fights, that’s probably the golden ticket for him to get a fight with Canelo. But it’s evident that Crawford won’t be willing to risk his hide fighting Bivol & Benavidez because the failure rate would be high, and they’d grueling affairs that would leave Terence a withered shell of what he was going into those bouts.
Canelo beats Terence with pressure
“I think they can fight, but I think they’re so caught up in the smoke & the mirrors of this s**t,” said Russell Jr. about the Charlo brothers not working hard at improving. “They’re so caught up in the smoke & the mirrors of this s**t that the 100% that they should put into their craft, I think some of that s**t get lost into the social media, get lost in the ‘Look at me’ type s**t.
“That’s why I give Bud a better chance against Charlo than Canelo, and Canelo, I think he’s more experienced. Canelo is definitely more experienced. I think he’s going to be in shape; he’s going to come. I think Canelo is going to come with the game plan of smooth pressure.”
If Crawford makes it to a fight with Canelo in one piece, he’s going to have a lot of trouble taking those big shots from the Mexican superstar. A slower, heavier, worn-down Crawford from his fights with Bivol, Benavidez & Morrell Jr. will be food for a fighter like Canelo.
Crawford would be half of what he is now going up against Canelo if he’s forced to earn the fight rather than having it given to him based on his win over a weight-drained Spence.
“I’m going to press this young bull [36-year-old Crawford], I’m going to press his a**. I’m not going to waste a lot of punches. I’m going to press him; I’m going to shell up; I’m going to let him throw a lot of punches early in the fight. In the first couple, four, five rounds, I’m going to shell up, I’m going to touch his a** downstairs hard. Come seven, eight, oh yeah. I’m going to trap his young a** in the corner, and I’m going to start selling this s**t.’
“I think Canelo will have a game plan something similar to that. I’ll always go with a good boxer over a solid puncher, so I’ll say Bud,” said Russell Jr. when asked who has a better chance against Canelo between Crawford & Jermell.
“I think Terence Crawford is a better athlete than both of them. Agile-wise, I think he’s agile. He’ll be able to move a little quicker, and his reflexes are a little better. I think that s**t is a little better than both of them,” said Russell Jr. about Crawford.
