Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford Episode 2 Recap

Episode one told us where each man came from and how long their trusted teams have been in their respective camps. Episode two spends more time on the long-time trainers of each fighter. Eddie Reynoso, who met Canelo when he was 13, and Brian ‘Bomac’ McIntyre, who knew Crawford’s parents before he was born, are given some face time, and their ease with their charges speaks of a family atmosphere, beyond the professional relationships.

As Crawford trains in Colorado Springs and Canelo in Sierra, Nevada, the fighters appear determined, loose, and confident. The familial nature of their camps creates a relaxed atmosphere for both. As tough (and even nasty) as both men are, it’s impossible not to find them both immensely appealing. One would want either man by his side in tough times. Not just because of their fighting prowess, but also due to their loyalty and character.

In Canelo’s camp, it is not lost on the fighter or his team that Crawford is a unique boxer who can fight in a conventional stance or turn southpaw with equal effectiveness. Canelo spars with a hired gun with that fact in mind. One thing both fighters bring to the ring is an outstanding IQ. Canelo and Crawford have both proven to be fighters who can wait out their opponent early and turn up the heat once they’ve sorted out the strategy of the men trying to beat them.

The issue of Crawford’s move-up in weight gets more run-in episode two than in episode one. The question is whether Crawford can carry his speed and, more importantly, his power, up to the super middleweight division. Canelo has a tough beard when fighting men his own size. Will Crawford be able to move him? Early in episode one, Crawford is shown shirtless at a yoga lesson. Even with the added weight, he looks almost as sculpted as he did at light middleweight, but whether his buff appearance translates to the ring remains to be seen.

Interestingly, episode one referenced Floyd Mayweather Jr. as Canelo’s biggest test (one he failed) of his boxing career. However, nowhere in either episode is his move up to light heavyweight, which ended in an unceremonious defeat at the gloves of Dmitry Bivol, mentioned. Canelo is certainly Crawford’s greatest challenge, but a more apples-to-apples comparison is not Canelo vs. Mayweather; it’s Canelo vs. Bivol. That is where Canelo met his size limit. It’s hard not to wonder why Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford didn’t connect those dots.

Also given short shrift in both episodes is the age of the two fighters. When Canelo and Crawford step into the ring nine days from now, the former will be 35, while the latter will be 37. It is a missed opportunity for the series not to reference that these men may still be exceptional, but time is running short, and this fight could well be their last chance to make a definitive statement.

What is made clear in Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford is that these are two supremely confident, mature, and at-ease fighters who understand the stakes. Canelo vs. Crawford is a fight where the belts don’t matter, the pelts do. For Canelo or Crawford to defeat the other, to add that name to their win column, is to make their legacy undeniable.

Regardless, as entertaining as anyone might find this iteration of Countdown to be, it’s all just preamble. Fans can talk trash, make their picks, and place their bets, but only two people have any real control over the outcome of this story. They will meet in the ring on September 13, in Las Vegas, live on Netflix. That is where the hype ends, and the fight begins. Only then will we know anything.