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Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Retired champion backs 'Bud' to win
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's most recent performance leads Barry McGuigan to believe that Terence 'Bud' Crawford has "a great chance" at defeating the two-time undisputed super middleweight champion.
Canelo regained the IBF title by outlasting William Scull over the weekend, setting up a September super-fight against Crawford that will see the latter move up two divisions to challenge the Mexican for his titles.
But while Canelo made history in regaining his undisputed status against Scull, the fight itself was defined by how conservative the combatants were — Canelo and Scull combined to throw just 445 total punches, setting a new record for fewest punches thrown in a 12-round fight.
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McGuigan attributes the lack of activity to Scull's fighting style — the retired former WBA featherweight champion labelled the Cuban as "negative" — but also noted that Scull's elusive manner could provide a template for Crawford when he faces Canelo later this year.
"I think Crawford needs to go back to his old self in the sense of him being a good puncher and his timing," McGuigan told Betway.
"He is an old-fashioned fighter in the Sugar Ray Robinson style with everything being miniscule timing, he makes you fall short by just a fraction and then walks in with a counter shot.
"But in this fight, in order to take the sting out of Canelo’s power early on, he will have to drift in and out of punching range and not hold his feet as much. He doesn’t have to run around the ring but he needs to be mobile.
"Certainly, in the early stages of the fight and then walk Canelo onto shots, beat him to the punch and move around and hope not to get hit himself."
McGuigan isn't advocating for Crawford to completely emulate Scull's game plan against Canelo, but the 64-year-old does advise the American to approach the early stages of the upcoming fight more conservatively than he normally would.
"Crawford doesn’t have the same footwork as Scull has and maybe isn’t as elusive because Crawford is courageous and a risk taker," he said. "He prides himself on exchanging with you.
"Crawford won’t do that with Canelo early on into the fight and he will be as evasive and as elusive as he can be, because if not he will get dragged into a trench war. That wouldn’t work as effectively.
"When you’ve worked out Canelo is losing his power, then step your foot on the gas and exchange with him but Canelo will know what to do.
"They both know how to box and cope with various styles. I think Terence Crawford has a great chance of winning."
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