Crawford Stirs The Pot Before Alvarez Showdown

Canelo Álvarez’s standing among boxing’s all time greats is anything but unanimous. Some rank him among the sport’s elite, others say he still has more to prove. Terence Crawford, however, has made his own complicated assessment.

The undefeated WBA junior middleweight champion is set to face Álvarez on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. In what will be one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Recently, Crawford was asked by The Ring to compare Álvarez to a list of current and past greats and his answers raised eyebrows.

When names like Carl Froch, Chris Eubank Jr., Félix Trinidad, Manny Pacquiao, Artur Beterbiev, and Bernard Hopkins were mentioned, Crawford placed them below Álvarez. But when Oscar De La Hoya entered the conversation, the Nebraska native drew a line.

“He was better than Canelo,” Crawford said.

Whether Crawford truly believes that or was simply taking aim at Álvarez’s pride is up for debate. The Mexican superstar and his former promoter have been locked in a bitter feud since their split, trading accusations and public insults. Álvarez claims De La Hoya “stole from him” and lacked sincerity during their near decade partnership. De La Hoya has fired back, calling Álvarez a liar and suggesting his skills have declined.

By elevating De La Hoya over Álvarez, Crawford may have landed a psychological jab as sharp as any punch he’ll throw on fight night.