Sebastian Fundora Sides with Canelo Alvarez, Citing Crawford’s Absence from the Super Middleweight Division

Sebastian Fundora is choosing Canelo Alvarez over Terence Crawford of their upcoming superfight in 10 days on September 13 in Las Vegas.

(Credit score: Lina Baker/Premier Boxing Champions)

Fundora Backs Canelo’s Expertise

Sebastian states that undisputed tremendous middleweight champion Canelo (63-2-2, 39 KOs) has been preventing at 168 and has the expertise. He says he doesn’t view Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) as a real 154-lb fighter after preventing simply as soon as within the division. That was a yr in the past, and now Terence is transferring up two weight courses to 168.

Fundora believes Crawford ought to have fought at tremendous middleweight to prepare, however he selected to not.

It’s a thriller why Crawford selected to not take at the least one battle at 168 within the final 13 months that he’s been off. He may have simply fought somebody within the tremendous middleweight division to raised put together himself.

Is Crawford Simply Chasing a Payday?

Some followers on social media consider that these are the explanations Crawford selected to not take a battle within the weight class:

Worry of being uncovered: Crawford has seemed unimpressive in his transfer as much as 154 in his final battle towards Israil Madrimov on August 3, 2024. He got here near dropping that. The efficiency by Bud was criticized by followers and the media. Might Crawford have been afraid that if he misplaced or seemed dangerous, Turki Alalshikh would change his thoughts about placing him in with Canelo?
Inertia: Some followers consider Crawford has been unwilling to battle greater than every year as a result of he dislikes the arduous work and ache concerned in coaching. So, selecting to not take a tune-up at 168 would feed into the assumption that these followers have about him. The coaching camp to battle a brilliant middleweight would have been arduous. Crawford has been preventing every year since 2021. That’s a purple flag for a fighter who doesn’t like arduous work and is doing the minimal to maintain busy.
Specializing in the cash: Critics consider Terence is simply seeing the Canelo battle as a golden parachute retirement payday. So, he wasn’t going to work arduous to organize by preventing somebody in a tune-up at tremendous middleweight, particularly after the best way he seemed in his one battle at 154. If that is Crawford’s rationale for not preventing at 168 first, Turki Alalshikh made it straightforward by not insisting that he earn the Canelo battle by defeating one or two prime fighters. That will have been the perfect factor for Turki to have set in place as a safeguard to stop Crawford from simply coming for the retirement payday. Making Crawford earn the Canelo battle by preventing David Benavidez and Christian Mbilli would have quieted the critics, who really feel he doesn’t deserve the battle.

“Canelo,” mentioned Sebastian Fundora to the media right this moment when requested who he’s choosing for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford battle on September 13. “He’s [Alvarez] comfy at 168. He’s been preventing there. He went and picked up all of the belts in that weight class.”

Canelo’s 168-Pound Benefit

“After all, Crawford has an opportunity. He has a giant probability, being one of many pound-for-pound fighters on the planet. It’s simply the benefit of being there first. You already know what to anticipate in that weight class,” mentioned Fundora.

Canelo has been preventing within the tremendous middleweight division since December 15, 2018. As Fundora factors out, he put within the arduous work to gather the 4 168-lb titles one after the other. He didn’t sit out of the ring for a yr, ready till the title alternative was given to him on a silver platter. He labored arduous for them. That’s one of many criticisms of Crawford. He captured three of his 4 belts by beating Errol Spence to change into the undisputed welterweight champion.

Now, Terence is preventing for all 4 titles at 168 with out ever having set foot within the division. It turns the benefit model of boxing the wrong way up when a fighter is given alternatives with out working for them.

Crawford’s Lone Battle at 154

“Crawford is coming off a 154 battle [Israil Madrimov] that he fought final yr. So, I actually don’t contemplate him a 154. He’s been preventing at 147 for some time. He had that one battle at 154, after which he stopped preventing for a yr once more. So, after all, he’s in all probability been coaching,” mentioned Fundora.

Sebastian brings up a great level. Crawford can’t be thought of a real 154-lb fighter if his conflict towards Israil Madrimov in 2024 was his lone battle within the junior middleweight division. He’s nonetheless a 147-pounder, and an older one at that. Crawford turns 38 on September 28.

To be a real 154-lb fighter, you’ve bought to battle greater than as soon as and face totally different opposition. Followers observe that Crawford didn’t look good in his battle with Madrimov, simply scrapping by with a 12-round unanimous resolution. The battle may have simply gone the opposite approach.

The Toll of a New Weight Class

“Once more, a high-class fighter, however to be comfy at 168, you’re going to need to do some fights in there. Entering into there and preventing the undisputed champion, it’s going to take a toll,” mentioned Fundora.