On September 13, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) will face Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) for the undisputed super middleweight title.
Fight week has arrived, and anticipation is building for this historic showdown. The open workout fight card has already taken place, with British fighter Mikie Tallon impressing on the big stage.
Canelo is defending his undisputed crown, while Crawford is bidding to become a three-division undisputed champion and four-division lineal champion.
Dan Rafael caught up with Canelo during fight week, as the Mexican star discussed his bout with William Scull and the magnitude of his upcoming clash with ‘Bud’ Crawford.
Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford set for September 13 live on Netflix – fight week interview with Dan Rafael
Sitting down with Rafael, Canelo discussed his changed mindset regarding accepting a fight with Crawford:
“You know, when you guys asked me about that fight, I never had it in my mind before. It was a surprise for me, so that’s why I said, ‘Why are you guys trying to fight me with Terence Crawford?’
“If you see everything, you can see how big this fight is. One of the biggest in the boxing history, so that’s why I accepted. Terence Crawford is one of the best pound-for-pound out there. So two of the best pound-for-pound fighters fighting each other is big fight,” Crawford said.
When asked to reflect on the William Scull fight, Canelo said: “At that point, with that situation, you need to win the fight. It’s all that matters, win the fight. Because a fighter like him running, and when you try to cut and get in, he puts the head in front of him. So, a lot of risk there, to have a cut in my face.”
“Plus, the guy don’t really want to fight that night. In those situations, you need to be more patient because if you go on, try and everything, he’ll start touching you and winning the rounds, you know. At that point, you need to find a way how to win, because a win is a win.”
Dan then asked Canelo if he cared that it might be considered that he’s in a no-win situation, essentially fighting a welterweight: “No, I know, Dan, that’s their opinion. It’s opinions, just opinions. I know what I need to do. I know I need to win the fight. I know how big it is for me. I know what it means for me and my team, for everybody. And the people talk. They always talk, no matter what.”
Canelo was then asked what the fight means for him: “It means a lot. Two of the best fighters, fighting each other. The magnitude of the fight. Mexico vs America. You know, it’s big. For me, it means a lot.”
Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford full fight night card
Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford, 12 rounds, for Alvarez’s undisputed super-middleweight title
Callum Walsh vs Fernando Vargas Jr., 10 rounds, super-welterweights
Christian Mbilli vs Lester Martinez, 12 rounds, for Mbilli’s WBC interim super-middleweight title
Mohammed Alakel vs Travis Kent Crawford, 6 rounds, super-featherweights
Serhii Bohachuk vs Brandon Adams, rematch, 10 rounds, middleweights
Ivan Dychko vs Jermaine Franklin, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Reito Tsutsumi vs Javier Martinez, 6 rounds, super-featherweights
Sultan Almohamed vs Martin Caraballo, 4 rounds, super-lightweights
Steven Nelson vs Raiko Santana, 10 rounds, light-heavyweights
Marco Verde vs Marcos Osorio Betancourt, 6 rounds, super-middleweights
Stay with Big Fight Weekend for coverage of Canelo vs Crawford, including results and video highlights, and post-fight analysis.
Freelance Writer and Digital Marketer, spending most of his time waiting for Andy Cruz to win a world title. Also watches YouTube videos of Lennox Lewis fights on a daily basis.
