Andy Ruiz (MEX) during the Weigh-In Ceremony prior to the heavyweight boxing match against Luis Ortiz (CUB) on September 3, 2022. IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport

Andy Ruiz Reveals The 'Trouble' Canelo Alvarez Might Have Against Terence Crawford

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 1:24 PM ET

One reason why the September 13 fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford is considered one of the biggest boxing bouts in recent memory is because of Canelo's gigantic fan base.

While Canelo is a global icon, there's no question that a huge chunk of his fan base stems from Mexico, as Canelo has represented his home country loudly and proudly throughout his legendary career. As a result, Mexican boxing fans (and the mainstream public) have gotten behind Canelo and remained loyal to him through wins and losses alike.

And they also show up in droves to support Canelo in person whenever he fights. This is a significant reason why Canelo almost always fights in Las Vegas (as is this upcoming fight against Crawford), so that his fans from Mexico don't have to travel far to witness him going into battle firsthand.

Andy Ruiz Speaks on Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford Fight

Not only are Mexican fans big supporters of Canelo, but his boxing peers from Mexico also typically show him a lot of love and respect.

There aren't any bigger (physically speaking) Mexican boxers than Andy Ruiz right now. And Ruiz kept it real when speaking about Canelo vs Crawford during his interview with FightHype on August 16.

When asked who wins between Canelo and Crawford, Ruiz said, "It's gonna be a good fight, man. I'm going for Canelo, of course. You know he's a Mexican warrior as well. But Crawford, man. You can't neglect him, or you can't underestimate him as well, you know? He has a lot of skills, a lot of movement. He's a lefty as well, that's what Canelo has trouble with."

"I think it's gonna be an amazing fight, man. I just can't wait. And the best man wins," Ruiz added. He went on to talk about how the weight jump is significant for Crawford, and seemed to suggest that's going to have an impact on the fight's outcome.

While Ruiz didn't offer a clear prediction of who he thinks is going to win the bout, he is siding with Canelo, if only because they share the same Mexican heritage. But his pinpointing that Canelo has trouble with lefties is interesting.

It will be interesting to see how much of a factor this weight jump for Crawford ends up being, along with how much Crawford weighs on fight night when going toe to toe against Canelo, given that he's jumping up three weight classes to fight him.

This article first appeared on KO on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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