Sebastian Fundora sides with Canelo Alvarez, referring to Crawford’s absence from the Super Middleweight Division

Sebastian Fundora chooses Canelo Alvarez over Terence Crawford in their upcoming Superfight in 10 days on September 13 in Las Vegas.

(Credit: Lina Baker/Premier Boxing Champions)

Fundora supports Canelo’s experience

Sebastian mentions that the undisputed super-middleweight champion Canelo (63-2-2, 39 COs) fights at 168 and has the experience. He says he does not consider Crawford (41-0, 31 food) as a true fighter of 154 pounds after fighting only once in the division. It was a year ago, and now Terence moves two weight classes to 168.

Fundora believes Crawford should have fought at Super Middelig to be ready, but he chose not to.

This is a mystery why Crawford chose not to take at least one fight at 168 over the past 13 months that he was away. He could easily have fought someone in the Super Middleweight section to better prepare himself.

Is Crawford just chased a payday?

Some fans on social media believe that these are the reasons why Crawford chose not to take a fight in the weight class:

• Fear of being exposed: On August 3, 2024, Crawford looked impressive in his move to 154 in his last battle against Israil Madrimov. He came close to losing it. Bud’s performance was criticized by fans and the media. Could Crawford have been afraid that if he lost or looked bad, Turki Alalshikh would change his intention to put him into Canelo?
• Inertia: Some fans believe that Crawford was unwilling to fight more than once a year because he does not like the hard work and pain involved in training. So, if you choose not to take a setup at 168, the conviction of these fans would arise over him. The training camp to fight a super -middle weight would have been difficult. Crawford has been fighting once a year since 2021. It is a red flag for a fighter who does not like hard work and does the minimum to stay busy.
• Focus on the money: Critics believe Terence is just seeing the Canelo match as a golden pension day of the parachute. So, he didn’t want to work hard to prepare by fighting someone in a tune-up at Super Middeeight, especially after the way he looked at 154 in his one fight. If it is Crawford’s rationale not to fight at 168, Turki Alalshikh made it easy by not insisting that he earn the Canelo battle by defeating one or two top fights. That would have been the ideal thing for Turki Put in place as a protection To prevent Crawford from paying for retirement. If Crawford earned the Canelo fight by fighting against David Banavidez and Christian Mbilli, the critics would have silenced, who felt he was not deserving the fight.

“Canelo,” Sebastian Fundora told the media When asked who he chooses for the Canelo Alvarez against Terence Crawford, he is fighting on September 13. “He is (Alvarez) comfortable at 168. He fought there. He collected all the belts in that weight class. ‘

Canelo’s benefit of 168 pounds

“Of course, Crawford has a chance. He has a great chance, and he is one of the pound-for-pound fighters in the world. It’s just the advantage that you’re there first. You know what to expect in the weight class,” Fundora said.

Canelo has been fighting in the Super Middleweight section since December 15, 2018. As Fundora points out, he did the hard work to raise the four titles of 168 pounds one by one. He did not sit out of the ring for a year and waited until the title event was given to him on a silver tray. He worked hard for them. This is one of the criticism of Crawford. He captured three of his four belts by beating Errol Spence to become the undisputed welterweight champion.

Now Terence is fighting for all four titles at 168 without ever sitting in the division. It turns the merit style of boxing upside down when a fighter gets opportunities without working for them.

Crawford’s lonely fight at 154

“Crawford comes from a 154 fight (Israil Madrimov) he fought last year. So, I really don’t consider him as 154. He has been fighting for a while at 147. He had that one fight at 154, and then he stopped again for a year. So of course he trained, ”says Fundora.

Sebastian brings out a good point. Crawford cannot be considered a true fighter of 154 pounds if his collision against Israel Madrimov in 2024 was his lonely battle in the junior middleweight division. He is still a 147-pound, and an older one. Crawford turns 38 on September 28.

To be a true fighter of 154 pounds, you have to fight more than once and face different opposition. Fans notes that Crawford did not look good in his battle with Madrimov, but only with a unanimous decision of 12 round. The fight could have gone easily the other way around.

The toll of a new weight class

“Again, a high -class fighter, but to be comfortable at 168, you will have to take a few fights there. To go inside and fight against the undisputed champion, it’s going to take a toll,” Fundora says.