Boxing fans have been dreaming about this matchup for years, even when it seemed impossible. Terence Crawford dominated the welterweight division while Canelo Alvarez ruled supreme at super middleweight. The weight difference always made this fight feel like fantasy booking. But boxing has a funny way of making the impossible happen when enough money and fan interest align.
The announcement of Canelo vs Crawford for September 13 on Netflix sent shockwaves through the boxing world. This is a clash between two of the sport’s most skilled practitioners at completely different weight classes. Crawford will be jumping up two full divisions from his natural welterweight home to challenge Canelo at 168 pounds. History tells us that such dramatic weight jumps rarely end well for the smaller fighter, but Crawford isn’t just any fighter. He’s arguably the most technically gifted boxer of his generation. This makes this matchup absolutely fascinating from both a boxing and betting perspective.
Canelo Alvarez brings a devastating 61-2-2 record into this super fight, with an impressive 39 knockouts that showcase his incredible punching power. The Mexican superstar stands 5’7½” with a 70½” reach and has spent years perfecting his craft at super middleweight. At 34 years old, Canelo is still in his prime and holds all four major world titles in the division. His orthodox stance and explosive power have made him one of boxing’s biggest draws for good reason.
The Mexican champion’s body punching is legendary in boxing circles. He often breaks down opponents with vicious shots to the midsection before finishing them upstairs. His defensive improvements over the past few years have been remarkable, learning to slip and roll with punches much better than in his younger days.
Terence Crawford enters with a perfect 41-0 record and 31 knockouts. This makes him one of the most accomplished undefeated fighters in the sport. The Nebraska native stands slightly taller at 5’8″ but will be giving up significant weight and strength when he steps up to super middleweight. At 37 years old, Crawford is no spring chicken, but his southpaw stance and switch-hitting ability make him one of the most dangerous boxers alive.
His recent destruction of Errol Spence Jr. reminded everyone just how special his talents are inside the ring. Crawford’s ability to switch stances seamlessly gives him multiple looks and angles that most fighters struggle to handle. However, all of his professional success has come at welterweight and below, making this jump into uncharted territory both literally and figuratively.
According to FanDuel, Canelo Alvarez is a -205 favorite. Meanwhile, Terence Crawford comes back at +158 as the underdog. These odds reflect the significant physical advantages that Canelo possesses, along with the historical difficulty of jumping weight classes successfully.
The odds for the fight going the distance have also come out. The probability of the fight ending before the final bell is lower and the odds (+270) reflect that. The odds for the fight seeing the judges scorecards stand at -380.
(All odds taken from FanDuel. Bet on the most up-to-date MMA odds, lines, and spreads with FanDuel Sportsbook.)
(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)
mma 
