By Chris Williams: Terence Crawford says he wants to move up three weight classes to challenge the winner of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo contest on September 30th to try and become a three-division undisputed champion.
It’s admirable that Crawford is willing to come out of his comfort zone by moving up three weight classes to face the Canelo-Jermell winner because it’s a risky move on his part.
But at the same time, this is probably the only way that Crawford will ever get the opportunity to share the ring with Canelo Alvarez because he won’t accommodate him by coming down in weight to make that fight happen.
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) had previously said that he would go no higher than 154 and that the only way he would fight Canelo would be if he agreed to face him at a 158-lb catchweight, which the Mexican star has already dismissed, saying he can’t come down that far at this stage of his career.
Terence says he’ll fight either one of them, Canelo or Jermell, and now the question is, will the Canelo-Jermell winner be open to fighting Crawford next, or will they choose to make an immediate rematch between them?
Crawford ready to move up to 168
“To go up from 147 lbs to 168 lbs and to win, wow. I want to be three-time undisputed,” said Terence Crawford to Joe Rogan about his interest in moving up to 168 to challenge the winner of the September 30th contest between undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez & Jermell Charlo.
“I’m already in those discussions [as an all-time great], but what would they say, though? A three-time undisputed champion and a smaller fighter that went up three weight divisions to conquer one of the baddest men besides myself that have been doing it probably long than me,” said Crawford bout Canelo.
Crawford could be forced to fight Errol Spence Jr. next if he activates the rematch clause, which means those two could fight in December at 154.
“No, 168. Yeah, if he wins or Charlo. The winner” said Crawford about his wanting to fight the winner of the Canelo vs. Charlo fight on September 30th.
“I think that could happen. To be honest, I think that’s the biggest fight in boxing,” said Crawford about his fighting the Canelo-Jermell winner. “He beats Charlo, Terence Crawford – Canelo is the biggest fight in boxing, hands down. No other fighters can compare to that.
“No disrespect to Charlo, but he’s not a superstar on Canelo’s level. He’s got a chance, don’t get me wrong. He’s going to do well in that fight, and he’s got the tools to win. It’s just about preparation and what type of fight he fights.
“They fight in September, so it would probably be next year,” said Crawford about when he could see himself fighting the Canelo vs. Jermell winner. “That would give me time to get my body right.
“It’s a little difficult [to make 147]. I had to wear the little plastics and sauna suits this time. I don’t know what it is. I go up in weight, and the weight be going up on me.”
