Terence Crawford is aiming to become a three-time undisputed champion in three different weight classes.
Achieving this status would mean Crawford is the first man in the four-belt era to hold undisputed titles in more than two weight classes.
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has himself travelled up in weight to become a four-weight world champion when he won a light heavyweight title against Sergey Kovalev.
But Canelo has now been fighting for 20 years, with slight signs of decline in more recent performances, where he hasn’t been able to make a statement against rivals like Edgar Berlanga and Jaime Munguia.
A former WBC champion can see a ‘great’ Terence Crawford win against Canelo Alvarez
His last fight against William Scull was notable for the lowest number of punches thrown across a 12-round fight since CompuBox began.
It also gave pundits a reason to predict a big performance from ‘Bud’ based on the lack of activity, especially the former WBC super welterweight champion Sergio Mora.
In a recent interview with SeeHendo, Mora has had a change of mind on the fight since it was first floated as an idea.
He said: “Initially, I said this is just a money grab. Crawford started at 135. How is he going to beat a guy who started as high as 175? You saw his last fight against William Scull; it wasn’t a good fight.
“You’ve seen that he doesn’t have the fastball anymore; he has never had fast feet, but at least he is not cutting off the ring like he used to, and that explosiveness in his combinations.”
The ‘Latin Snake’ believed there is one difference between the Omaha fighter and the Cuban, which could lead to a career-best performance.
“Can you imagine a ‘Bud’ Crawford who’s nowhere near a William Scull, Scull just ran, he didn’t try to win that fight, ‘Bud’ is going to try and win that fight.
“I’m starting to change my tune, I can maybe see Canelo finally get old, Crawford no excuse pot shotting him having the night of his life, and we just watch something great, I can just visualise it.”
Canelo Alvarez thinks Terence Crawford is better than some of boxing’s greatest
Alvarez has been quite respectful towards the American, but has questioned his resume ahead of the September 13th clash when he’d claimed that the 37-year-old had not faced an ‘elite fighter’, a claim the former undisputed welterweight champion disputes.
Although the Guadalajaran showed his respect for the in-ring quality of ‘Bud’ in a recent video, when asked to speak up when a better fighter than his world title challenger was named.
He remained silent when presented with a list of seven fighters, which included eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao and his former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya.
Even more surprising was that he believed the fellow four-division champion was better than the two men who beat him in Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol.
It may be mind games from the Mexican to make his win all the more incredible, or genuine admiration for a pound-for-pound great who could become one of the best in the sport’s history with a win in Las Vegas.