Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford’s trainer says he could retire from the sport if he successfully defeats Canelo Alvarez to capture his undisputed super middleweight championship this year or in early 2025.
Fans aren’t surprised that the 36-year-old Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) will retire after fighting Canelo. Many feel that his sole purpose in moving up two weight classes to challenge for the four titles at 168 is to get a boatload of money before walking away.
A fight between Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KO) and Crawford wouldn’t be even talked about if not for His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s interest in putting it on because Alvarez has rejected the idea of defending his titles at the smaller fighter. Canelo says there’s nothing for him to gain fighting Crawford, and he’s right.
Canelo’s No-Win Situation
It’s a no-win situation for Canelo, where he won’t receive any credit, even if he obliterates Crawford. Indeed, Canelo will likely be criticized afterward for fighting another smaller fighter, like he did when he defended his 168-lb titles against Jermell Charlo, who came up two divisions from 154 to challenge him in 2023.
Before Crawford and BoMac can discuss a possible fight against Canelo, they still must defeat WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov on August 3rd in Los Angeles. That’s not a guaranteed win for Crawford, who is pushing 37 and will be coming off a 1+ year layoff when he moves up a division to battle the unbeaten Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs0 at 154 at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Madrimov: A Roadblock to Canelo
One thing that Crawford has in his favor in that fight is hand speed. He’s faster than Madrimov, and he’ll look to take advantage of that. However, if Crawford can’t keep Madrimov off or gets tired, it will be a tough fight for him, and he could get knocked out by the younger, more powerful champion.
Madrimov could mess up that bag for Crawford by beating him and taking the Canelo golden parachute retirement payday off the table.
Crawford is a 37-year-old fighter moving up a division after a long break, and it could be asking a little too much of his aging body. While Crawford did well moving up to 147, he fought lesser guys, like Jeff Horn, Jose Benavidez Jr., David Avanesyan, washed Shawn Porter, and Errol Spence.
“Bud has got it in him [to defeat Canelo]. I can see him doing it. Is it a challenge for him? Of course. Is it a challenge for the whole team? Of course, but that’s what we’re in the business for, being great,” said Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre to Fight Hub TV about his belief that Terence Crawford will beat Canelo Alvarez if or when they fight. ” I know that Bud has the tools to beat him.
Fans would find what BoMac is saying more believable if Crawford would at least show that he can swim with the sharks at 168 first by taking on David Morrell and David Benavidez and beating them before getting a retirement payday against Canelo. But to go straight to a fight against Canelo after facing Madrimov at 154, it doesn’t look possible for Crawford to win. That reeks of a cash-grab move, identical to what fans saw last year when Jermell Charlo moved up to 154 to fight Canelo, lost badly, and hasn’t been seen since.
“My mind is on Madrimov,” said BoMac about his not wanting to overlook Crawford’s next fight against WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov on August 3rd.