Terence Crawford could cement his place amongst the best in boxing history in September.
The 37-year-old has the task of beating Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who has reigned as the top super middleweight since 2021.
But Crawford has had his own incredible legacy across four weight divisions with two undisputed titles to his name.
A third could be added to his tally, which would place him amongst the greats of this era, such as Oleksandr Usyk.
Ex-champion Tony Harrison believes Terence Crawford beats Canelo Alvarez but warns against chasing a KO
It is the right time to achieve this feat as well, according to former super welterweight champion Tony Harrison, who is a big believer in ‘Bud’.
Speaking to SecondsOut, the ex-champion explained his support for the Omaha fighter but acknowledged the realities of the fight.
He said: “I’m Crawford till the day I die. I honestly think Crawford got a task on his hands, he is fighting one of the best ever to put on a pair of gloves at his weight.
“For me to see Crawford do that, jump up two weight classes, not one but two weight classes, to demand respect from the best guy in our generation to lace up the gloves.”
Harrison has had experience against a former opponent of the Mexican superstar in the once formidable WBC king Jermell Charlo, who he’d beaten once on points but lost the second time around via a round 11 knockout.
Although Shannon Briggs claims Crawford will stop Canelo late, ‘Superbad’ thinks it’s ill-advised to hunt for a finish.
“But facts are facts. He got his hands full, but when it comes down to timing, the time is right, if you were going to do it, now is the time to do it, because Canelo is slowing down,” he said.
“He is definitely still durable. Crawford is not going in there to try to stop Canelo because that would be idiotic, but to do it round by round, I think he can do it.”
Terence Crawford names the three boxers better than Canelo Alvarez but snubs eight-division legend
There have only been two boxers to ever beat the 34-year-old since he debuted as a professional 20 years ago, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Dmitry Bivol.
Those were two of the names his American opponent named as better than Canelo in a recent video, but there was one more name that he feels surpasses the star’s greatness.
In a list which featured Chris Eubank Jr and Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya was the only other name he chose as better than the Guadalajaran.
However, he snubbed the eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao, who recently drew in his comeback fight.
Whether his choices were to get under the skin of his opponent or not, it seems unusual to ignore Pacquiao’s achievements in this context.