Crawford won decisive decisions against Israil Madrimov at 154 pounds and a 35-year-old Canelo Alvarez at 168. While both victories added to his resume, neither performance represented complete dominance, especially against opponents who were either new to the weight class or past their physical prime.
Some observers also note that Crawford has not faced younger, more active contenders at any weight. After one fight at junior middleweight, he moved on. At super middleweight, his lone appearance came against Canelo rather than against established contenders campaigning in the division.
This context shaped the response of figures in the sport. Promoter Oscar De La Hoya has responded on social media to claims that no one can compete with Crawford, expressing skepticism about the way his career is being framed.
“I can name 4, 5, 6 fighters that can compete and probably beat him. Please name 2 good fighters that he beat,” De La Hoya said, as quoted by DAZN.
The debate focuses less on whether Crawford was elite, and more on whether it’s accurate to portray him as unbeatable across weight classes he briefly visited. Critics argue that Crawford should not have faced multiple contenders at 154 or 168 to earn title opportunities, something most fighters must do before reaching championship fights.
With Crawford now retired, the discussion around his legacy seems to be shifting. Rather than universal agreement about his invincibility, there is increasing scrutiny of who he faced late in his career — and who he didn’t.
