Crawford Explains How He Plans to Beat Canelo

WBA junior middleweight champion Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) has shared his thoughts on how he intends to overcome undisputed super middleweight king Saul “Canelo” Álvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) in their upcoming superfight.

“I don’t have to knock him out. I just need to beat him,” Crawford said.

“I’m not going in there looking to knock Canelo out.

But can it happen? Absolutely.”

Crawford broke down Canelo’s style and physicality with a sharp eye, noting the Mexican superstar’s ability to adapt — but also his vulnerabilities.

“When I look at Canelo, he’s a big guy who came up from lower weight classes. These bigger guys are slower. They might land a shot, but he usually sees it coming at the last second. They can hit hard, but he knows how to roll with the punches and absorb them, because he’s used to fighting guys who were faster and sharper.

And I’m also coming from a division where my opponents were sharper, quicker.

If he gets hit clean with a punch he doesn’t see coming — he can definitely get hurt.

He’s not a machine. He’s human, just like me. He bleeds just like I do.

I’m not thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t crack him.’ But I’m also not going in there just to chase a KO.

I want to box my fight. If the knockout comes — I’ll take it.”

The blockbuster clash between Terence Crawford and Canelo Álvarez is scheduled for September 12 in Las Vegas, USA.