Can Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford deliver the Fight of the Year?

While a 2025 showdown between British heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua remains in doubt following Fury’s latest retirement claim, another potential superfight is generating serious momentum.  

The clash between undefeated light heavyweights David Benavidez and David Morrell this weekend will set the tone for the year, followed by a blockbuster card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, headlined by Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s highly anticipated rematch.

However, no bout appears to match the intrigue and anticipation of a possible showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.  

Industry insiders and reports suggest that the two pound-for-pound greats could meet in September, though the fight has yet to be officially confirmed. 

If finalized, it would see Crawford jump two weight classes from his last bout—an audacious move that would test the limits of his greatness.  

Alvarez’s road to September

Alvarez enters 2025 fresh off a victory over Edgar Berlanga, where he retained his WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and The Ring super middleweight titles, securing his 62nd professional win.  

Meanwhile, Crawford made his light-middleweight debut with a unanimous decision win over Israil Madrimov, capturing the WBA and WBO interim titles. The victory followed his 2023 masterclass against Errol Spence Jr., where he unified the welterweight division.

Alvarez, who traditionally fights in May before returning for Mexican Independence Day in September, is expected to take another bout before a potential meeting with Crawford. 

His longtime trainer and manager, Eddy Reynoso, has named IBF super middleweight champion William Scull and top-ranked contender Christian Mbilli as the leading candidates for Canelo’s May fight.  

"Well, there are several, there is William Scull, there is the other one ranked by the WBO, Mbilli, I think he lives in Canada. They are the ones that are more or less there right now, but there is nothing concrete," Reynoso told Boxing Azteca. 

"We also hear about Crawford for September, but we really don't have anything certain yet until about 15 days or so."

A fight against Scull would give Alvarez the opportunity to reclaim the IBF belt, which was stripped ahead of his Berlanga bout. Regaining undisputed status would only add to the stakes of a potential superfight against Crawford.  

A legacy-defining clash

Should Alvarez and Crawford meet in the ring, it would be a true generational battle between two of the best fighters of this era. The bout would showcase Canelo’s power, precision and physicality against Crawford’s elite movement, ring IQ and adaptability.  

Alvarez has consistently dominated elite opposition across multiple weight classes but has struggled at times against high-volume punchers, as seen in his loss to Bivol. That makes Crawford’s ability to control distance and adjust on the fly a significant factor in the matchup. 

The biggest question, however, is whether Crawford’s power and physicality will translate at super middleweight—jumping two divisions is no small feat.  

A win for Crawford would cement his status as one of boxing’s all-time greats, overcoming both size and skill disparities to take down one of the sport’s biggest names. If Alvarez prevails, he would continue his reign as the face of boxing, adding another marquee victory to his legacy.  

With massive pay-per-view potential and a chance to define an era, Canelo vs. Crawford has all the makings of 2025’s Fight of the Year—if it becomes a reality.