Danny Jacobs Backs Terence Crawford To Defeat Big Bad Against Canelo Alvarez

Danny Jacobs, the former middleweight champion, believes that Terence Crawford has the technical skills to allow him to close the gap to defeat the big, powerful, undisputed 168-lb champion Canelo Alvarez next year.

Jacobs believes former three-division world champion Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) has enough talent to move up two divisions from 154 to challenge Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) at 168 in 2025.

First, Crawford must win his fight with Israel Madrimov, the WBA junior middleweight champion, on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Jacobs sees this as a “Tough” fight for Crawford because of the power and talent of Madrimov, who is bigger and stronger than anyone Bud has faced in his 16-year career.

Crawford's Age and Jump Weight

Jacobs didn't talk about Crawford's age because he turns 37 in September and isn't the spring chicken he used to be. Crawford, a native of Nebraska, is about the same age as Jacobs, who also appears to be past his prime. It's late in the game for Crawford to make a quick move on weight, especially since he's been out for a long 1+ year period.

“Skills sometimes pay bills, and we know Crawford has the skills or Canelo,” said Danny Jacobs on Fight Hub TV about Terence Crawford having the ability to beat super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez if they fight at any time. 2025.

Crawford's Upcoming Test against Madrimov

Skill often pays off for fighters competing at bantamweight, but this is an incredible jump in weight for Crawford from his last bout at 147 against Errol Spence on July 29, 2023. That's 21 pounds Crawford will be moving up. in weight from welterweight to super middleweight. Although Crawford fights at 154 against Madrimov on August 3, he is still 14 pounds away from making the jump to face Canelo in 2025.

Ideally, Crawford should stop at 160 and fight someone in a transitional tournament to make the weight move easier for him. Crawford's full fight at middleweight will be against IBF/WBO champion Janibek Alimkhanuly. If Crawford wins that fight, he can move up to 168 to challenge Canelo for his four belts.

“Sometimes power, weight, and experience in that. So, it will be a good test for Crawford, but the fans are the winners in that fight if he wins,” Jacobs continued about the Canelo vs. Crawford match.

Money Grabbing or Legitimate Competition?

Unless Crawford fights someone at 160 or 168 to show that he can compete with fighters in those two weight classes, a fight between him and Canelo looks like a money grab, a circus fight as fans saw with Britain's Anthony Joshua and Tyson. Fury fights former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

In order for it to be of sporting value, Crawford should fight someone top-ranked at 168, such as David Benavidez, David Morrell, or Christian Mbilli, before facing Canelo. It's unfair to paying fans for Crawford to move up two weight classes to challenge Canelo in an undisputed contest without at least beating someone notable at 168 to prove he's worth the title.

“But Crawford is struggling now [WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov on August 3rd],” Jacobs said. “I will be in the building supporting him that night. I am a huge fan of his, and I look forward to everything he will accomplish.”

It will be interesting to see what method Crawford uses in his fight with Madrimov because if he stands in the pocket against him like he did in his last two fights against Errol Spence and David Avanesyan. Those guys are nowhere near the level of talent, energy, or youth that Madrimov has.

“That is possible. We've seen it many times, we saw the opposite,” said Jacobs about Crawford having the ability to close the gap so that he can fill his void of power against Canelo.

Crawford's Method and the Mayweather Blueprint

Crawford may follow Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s blueprint. by beating Canelo with juggling, throwing potshots and swinging for twelve rounds, but that would be boring for the fans. With Canelo's popularity, the judges are less likely to give Crawford a decision if he doesn't sit down and score.

Erislandy Lara came up empty on Canelo when he followed Mayweather's draw, got stabbed, and went twelve rounds. The judges gave Canelo the win because his shots were clean and powerful. If Crawford chooses to trade with Canelo, the risk of being caught with the big gun and getting knocked out will be huge.

168 will be another new division for Crawford, and he is too old to make that kind of jump in weight. Also, the year Crawford is out of the ring, celebrating his biggest career win against Spence could hurt him against Madrimov.

If Crawford takes another year off after the Madrimov fight, which is quite possible given his history of only competing once a year, it will hurt his chances of beating Canelo.

“Tyson Fury, he was actually a light guy in the amateurs, and he grew into a heavyweight very quickly, so he was able to adapt. It's about seeing, it's about knowing, and it's about getting there and experiencing. But this will be a good test for Crawford in the upcoming Madrimov [fight],” Jacobs said.