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How Can Terence Crawford Beat Canelo Alvarez? Just Ask Teddy Atlas

usncan 2 hours ago

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📝 usncan Note: How Can Terence Crawford Beat Canelo Alvarez? Just Ask Teddy Atlas

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Legacy. This fight is about legacy.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence “Bud” Crawford will square up at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday (Netflix, 9 p.m. ET), with the winner walking away with the gold and the glory cementing his legacy as arguably the pound-for-pound best boxer of a generation.

But legacy aside, the question isn’t: Can Alvarez beat Crawford? Because the answer is obvious among the experts and the oddsmakers (Alvarez is the betting favorite at -180 according to ESPN BET.) They say Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) will bully and bulldoze and pound crunching body shots to break down the smaller Crawford (41-0-0, 31 KOs), who has climbed two weight classes to have this shot at Alvarez’s world championships at 168 pounds.

So the real question is: How can Crawford beat Alvarez? Let’s see what Boxing Hall of Famer Teddy Atlas says about that; his answer (and his prediction) may surprise you.

“Canelo is not as busy as he used to be,” Atlas said on the latest episode of “THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas” that he co-hosts with his son Teddy Atlas III. “In some ways it’s served him like a fine wine getting better. He picks his spots. He counterpunches. He has good power. He’s accurate.”

However, the legendary boxing trainer predicts Crawford will get the W, saying the Nebraska native has the skills to “use his length (and) use his legs a little bit” to keep Alvarez at range.

“I’m looking for Crawford to win the battle on the outside,” Atlas said. “Just control space. Don’t allow Canelo to freely walk in.”

Atlas then pointed to Floyd Mayweather Jr. exploiting Alvarez’s greatest weakness — his sluggish foot speed — in handing the Mexican his first defeat in 2013. Granted, Mayweather and Alvarez fought many years ago but Atlas said it’s a strategy that Crawford could engage.

“Canelo couldn’t close the gaps fast enough (against Mayweather”), and I think he’s going to have a problem in that same area (on Saturday),” Atlas said. “Everybody says Canelo is the bigger guy, the more powerful guy. OK, fine. But if he’s not throwing the more powerful punches in large quantities, then he’s not as dangerous as you think he is.”

Atlas also lauded Crawford’s “intangibles and mental traits,” saying, “He’s ice water in there. He doesn’t get affected emotionally. He’s got great eyes. He’s laser-like with his eyes and timing, and evidently he doesn’t think he can get beat.”

Canelo Alvarez, left, and Terence Crawford face off during a news conference for their upcoming fight. (AP Photo/John Locher)

On the pod, Atlas III noted the ring-rust potential with Crawford, who hasn’t fought in 13 months when he won by decision over Israil Madrimov, while Alvarez last fought in May when he got the scorecard win against William Scull.

Atlas III also pointed out that Crawford’s own foot speed could be in question after adding 20 pounds in two years.

But the elder Atlas praised Crawford and his team, saying, “They always have the right plan… And I would think they gave him enough time to get comfortable to the new weight… I’m betting and believing and showing confidence in their judgement.”

And if Atlas has the confidence in Crawford, maybe the experts and oddsmakers should too.