Canelo Alvarez is preparing for his upcoming super fight against Terence Crawford will be his toughest test since Dmitry Bivol in 2022. But Crawford won’t have it easy either against his incoming title challenger.
According to veteran coach Ismael Salas, the unbeaten star must channel Floyd Mayweather’s legendary defensive blueprint to survive against Alvarez under the bright lights of Las Vegas.
Salas, the man who once guided Yuriorkis Gamboa against Crawford, sees clear similarities between Crawford and Floyd Mayweather’s defensive styles. The Cuban-born trainer believes Crawford’s best chance against the naturally bigger Mexican champion will come through technical boxing rather than toe-to-toe exchanges.
During an interview with Seconds Out, he emphasized the importance of defensive fundamentals to frustrate Canelo’s power and pressure.
“The only strategy (Terence) Crawford can bring to beat Canelo (Alvarez) is technically -from the point of view of defense,” Salas explained, highlighting Crawford’s defensive similarities to Mayweather.
The veteran trainer was doubling down on his bold claim, saying Bud’s secret weapon against Alvarez isn’t raw power. The coach thinks it’s his slick, unique style of defense. Crawford’s razor-sharp reflexes and killer timing could shut down Alvarez’s relentless pressure, just like Floyd did in 2013.
“But if he got something from (Floyd) Mayweather for this upcoming fight, he has a better chance [of beating Canelo],” Salas added.
He also pointed to what he calls the “Midwestern American style” drives aggressive opponents mad. This defensive approach relies mostly on shoulder rolls, sharp counterpunching, and intelligent footwork.
Maybe for the same reason, Devin Haney has also picked Bud over Alvarez before they face each other on September 13.
Devin Haney Picks Terence Crawford over Canelo Alvarez
Former undisputed lightweight king is throwing down the gauntlet for Crawford ahead of the September superfight. Everyone knows Alvarez packs size and power at super middleweight but Haney believes Crawford’s skill, discipline, and ring IQ could tip the scales.
“I think it’s a good match-up, it’s a fight that we all been wanting to see. Bud has the skills, he got the discipline, IQ to win, but Canelo has all that with the size, so I think it’s a good fight,” the 26-year-old recently said on Ring Champs with Ak & Barak.
Alvarez has fought at super middleweight for years, while Crawford would be making his debut at 168 pounds. So, what could present a serious obstacle to Crawford is just in front of our eyes.
Haney admitted, “But will it be an easy task?” “No, but if anybody can do it, I think Bud can.” It is not like blind trust, but he holds sky-high confidence in the American superstar that he could topple the Mexican juggernaut. It will be interesting to see who makes the last laugh on Saturday night.
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