TEOFIMO LOPEZ HAS NO DOUBT WHO WINS CANELO-CRAWFORD FIGHT: "IT'S A MONEY GRAB"

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 Super-lightweight WBO champion Teofimo Lopez has made his prediction ahead of a potential fight between Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

Crawford has been chasing a fight against the current super-middleweight champion ever since he put in a career defining performance against Errol Spence Jr last year.

Although the Mexican was originally dismissive of the match-up, he has recently admitted he would be open to the fight if the money was right. With Saudi Arabia’s boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh having it on his wish list, Canelo might just get what he wants.

Speaking to FightHype about the clash, Lopez believes the three weight class disparity will prove too much come fight night.

“Crawford-Canelo, great matchup, great fight, what else can I say? If those guys want to make that fight happen, you’ve got the face of boxing against a guy who’s fighting for legacy. Both of them are really true champions, hall of famers – let the best man win.

I think Canelo is just too big for him. He’s too big, realistically. Too big, too strong and used to that weight class, so you can be a boxer and all those things but it is what it is.

Canelo is still the face of boxing and the guy everyone wants to fight, Crawfod wouldn’t want the fight if Canelo wasn’t the face of boxing. It’s a money grab, it’s a money fight.”

Lopez has a ready made replacement for Crawford if the Canelo fight doesn’t materialise – himself. The former undisputed lightweight champion has called out ‘Bud’ for a fight next year.

- Toby Morgan 

TIM BRADLEY WARNS CANELO THAT TERENCE CRAWFORD IS LIKE ONE PAST OPPONENT: "HE'LL MAKE YOU PAY"

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Terence Crawford wants a fight with Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez before he retires despite the weight he would give away.

Recently undisputed at welterweight, the American would have to jump up three weight-classes from his last bout to face the undisputed Canelo, who holds all four belts at super-middleweight,

The Mexican hasn’t been overly keen on the bout, saying he would get no credit for the win.

Speaking to FightHype, Hall of Fame fighter turner analyst Tim Bradley questioned that given he recently faced Jermell Charlo, another man coming up in weight.

“This is the problem with Canelo, the fact that he fought against Charlo right. Charlo coming from 154, moving up a couple weight divisions to face Canelo. He just went in there and laid an egg. He went in there and survived. He just felt like ‘I’m not on Canelo’s level.'”

He believes the opponents are incomparable, highlighting the skills of Crawford as enough to ‘make Canelo miss’ like Floyd Mayweather once did.

“The difference is the mentality of Crawford. He’s a top pound-for-pound guy. Charlo was never a top pound-for-pound guy. The skillset of Crawford and what he brings. He’s a competitor man. He wants to fight Canelo, and I think he’ll do well against Canelo I really do. Am I nervous for the fight if they were to fight? Hell yeah. Canelo can punch and all it’s gonna take is one. Hit a guy like Terence who’s coming up like three weight classes to be able to face him.

However, just like we saw with Floyd back in the day, man, he was able to outbox him. He was able to out-think him. I think Crawford has the ability to outbox him and out-think him. Make him miss, make him pay. As long as he’s not catching too many of them and he’s using his legs and and defence to get outta the way, he should be able to beat him, man.”

Mayweather beat a 23-year-old Alvarez by majority decision back in 2013. The Mexican would go undefeated for almost a decade before falling shot again to Dmitry Bivol at light-heavyweight.

Crawford returns to action on August 3 to fight WBA Super-Welterweight Champion Israil Madrimov – his first test of how many more divisions he has in him.

- Kerr Furgoson