by the El Reportero‘s news services
Keith Thurman believes Terence Crawford missed a chance to level the playing field ahead of his September 13 clash with Canelo Álvarez. The former welterweight champion argues Crawford could have pushed for a catchweight below 168 pounds but instead agreed to fight at Canelo’s full super middleweight limit.
That decision, Thurman says, makes the matchup feel more spectacle than sport. He has gone so far as to label it “celebrity boxing,” pointing out that Crawford is jumping multiple divisions for an immediate title shot. “Crawford never said, ‘Let’s do this at 162.’ He didn’t bring that up,” Thurman told Fighthype. “That’s why I see it as celebrity boxing.”
The remarks contrast with UFC president Dana White, who recently dismissed celebrity boxing as “goofy” in an interview with Ring Magazine. Yet Thurman maintains that Crawford’s fast track to a 168-pound title fight, without facing ranked contenders first, resembles an exhibition and undermines boxing’s competitive structure.
Question Marks for Crawford
Crawford has not fought since narrowly defeating Israil Madrimov in August 2024. Instead of easing into the division with tune-ups, he chose to leap straight into a bout with one of boxing’s most experienced champions. Thurman suggested the decision may have been strategic—avoiding the risk of looking vulnerable—but it leaves doubts about how Crawford will handle the extra weight and Canelo’s power.
Why Thurman Favors Canelo
“Canelo’s experience is the difference,” Thurman said. “We’ve never seen Crawford carry that kind of weight for 12 rounds.”
Álvarez, who has faced top competition throughout his career, brings far more big-fight experience than Crawford, whose standout wins came at lighter weights. Even his biggest welterweight victories—over Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Kell Brook, and Amir Khan—came against fighters no longer at their peak.
Fighting for Legacy
Thurman acknowledges Canelo could knock Crawford down, but he insists the real intrigue lies in whether the smaller man can endure three weight classes above his natural division.
For Crawford, Thurman argues, this isn’t about money but about cementing his legacy against one of boxing’s best.
– With reports by Michael Collins.
