Shakur Stevenson believes that Terenka Crawford will be the same warrior at the age of 168, because he was 154 and below, when he challenges Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed gold of super medium -sized in average on September 13.
Stevenson does not think that the jump with two divisions will affect Crawford (41-0, 31 KO) at all and dominate Canelo (63-2-2, 39 KO), as for other fighters from the younger medium to lightweight division.
The perfect style of Crawford to overthrow Canelo
“Bud is the only one that can defeat Canelo at the age of 168. Canelo is not doing well against Southpaws, and the style of the kennel is perfect for using it. Look how Canelo struggled with John Ryder’s movement – Bud is at a different level – said Shakur Stevenson to the Ring magazine canal.
You need to ignore what Terenka did in these weight classes, because none of these warriors were at the elite level and everyone would be full if they competed with a warrior like Canelo. The Errola Spence version, which Crawford defeated in 2023, would not last more than two or three rounds against Alvarez. This is probably the best win in Terenca’s career.
37-year-old Crawford was at a different level than the opposition he fought in four divisions, in which he competed as a professional during his 17-year professional career. Boxing fans still ask if Bud will be the same warrior at the age of 168 that he was in class with a lower weight. It seemed that he reached his limit when he moved to 154 last year and scanned with a narrow decision against Israil Madrimov.
Crawford may not be the only warrior who can beat Canelo at the age of 168. We didn’t see Alvarez fighting teenage rivals in Super Middle Libra. He ignored these fighters:
– Christian Milli – Diego Pacheco – Hamzah Sheeraz – Oslyys Iglesias
Next target Buda: Lightweight heavyweight kings
If Crawford can beat Canelo, it means that he is able to do more, moving to 175 to face Dmitry Bivol for his three lightweight heavyweight titles, WBC master David Benavidez or Artur Beterbiev. It would be one way for Crawford to strengthen his heritage. These fighters would be a large test for Crawford.
Mike Tyson has shared his verdict on who he ranks higher between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are considered two of the greatest boxing legends in recent history, and their success led to a battle between them at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in May 2015.
Mayweather is now 49 and Pacquiao is 47, both men are well past their prime, and there is often debate among boxing fans as to which man was better than the other during the best years of their careers.
Mayweather retired with a perfect 50-0 record, defeating the likes of Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez, while Pacquiao is the only eight-division boxing world champion in history to boast victories over the likes of Juan Manuel Marquez and Miguel Cotto.
Heavyweight icon Tyson once expressed his own opinion on who was the better of the two, ace revealed that he thinks Pacquiao has achieved more.
“Pacquiao is better than Floyd. He overcame adversity. He got knocked out, came back and had some sensational fights against opponents that outperformed any opponent Floyd had fought.”
Before Mayweather faces Pacquiao in a rematch, he is actually scheduled to face Tyson himself, and an event between the pair will take place soon, although it appears it will not take place on the originally announced April 25 date.
Undisputed lithe heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol could pursue a rematch with Canelo Alvarez or a fight with David Benavidez once he finishes his current duties in the division.
Bivol’s manager, Vadim Kornilov, outlined the champion’s preferred path in comments provided by Dan Rafael, explaining that Bivol intends to first pursue a mandatory IBF defense and then return to competing with Artur Beterbiev.
He is expected to have a mandatory defense against Michael Eifert this spring. The fight was scheduled for May 23 at a gala headlined by unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
After fulfilling this obligation, Bivol’s team wants to immediately start the third fight with Beterbiev. Their rivalry produced two closely watched fights, leaving unfinished business between two fighters who have dominated the lithe heavyweight division for the past several years and built one of the most respected rivalries in the sport.
More intriguing possibilities emerge after this trilogy. Rafael reported that Bivola’s camp sees a second fight with Canelo as one of the main options still available to the champion. Bivol defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision in 2022, handing the Mexican star one of the clearest defeats of his career.
Another potential opponent in question is Benavidez, who has moved up to lithe heavyweight and has been seeking a chance to fight the top fighters in the division. The fight between Bivol and Benavidez will pit the undefeated Mexican-American challenger against a champion who currently holds four major division titles.
Kornilov also suggested that Bivol could eventually prove himself at cruiserweight, although such an idea appears to be more of a long-term possibility than an immediate plan for the undefeated champion.
For now, the plan of action remains straightforward: fulfill the IBF mandate against Eifert, complete the trilogy with Beterbiev, and then fight one of the most crucial fights that could decide the final stage of Bivol’s career.
Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers authoritative coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
A fresh twist has been revealed in the story of Jai Opetai and the IBF cruiserweight title.
Last week it was reported that Opetaia was to be stripped of his IBF belt after the opening bell of his planned fight with Brandon Glanton on Sunday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, due to the fact that the fight was also for Zuffa’s inaugural belt.
After the fight, Opetaia once again shared his desire to become undisputed in the cruiserweight division, and it appears he has been given the opportunity to do just that as – announced the IBF in a statement that they have not yet made a final decision to strip him of the title.
“Jai Opetaia made comments during the post-fight press conference that led the organization’s leadership to question whether his advisors fully and fully made him aware of the decisions he had to make in deciding to fight Brandon Glanton. The organization intends to take a closer look at this matter.”
The statement also included a mighty response to claims that they had decided not to sanction the fight due to feelings of “disrespect” in the run-up to the fight.
“The IBF categorically denies any suggestion or claim that it deliberately withdrew sanctions to cause harm. The IBF sanctioned the Opetaia vs. Glanton fight in good faith, expecting what was assured to happen.”
“The press conference held on March 8 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, made it clear that the inaugural Zuffa World Cruiserweight Championship would be held on March 8.
“The IBF, as previously stated on March 6, reserves the right to sanction title fights along with other sanctioning bodies that adhere to the same regulations that the IBF follows, and reserves the right to sanction title fights along with other fights that prepare the IBF cruiserweight title remains a subject of discussion.”
The final outcome as to whether Opetaia will indeed retain her title will be revealed in due course.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.