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On September 13 the focus of the boxing world will be on the contest between undisputed super middleweight champion, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and two-time undisputed champion, Terence Crawford. Both have been staples of pound-for-pound lists for about a decade. Robert Garcia, will be among the millions across the world who will be watching this bout intently. The former world champion, who has become an elite trainer, is still an avid boxing fan at heart. And he isn’t just very familiar with ‘Bud’ Crawford, but he probably saw him before most even knew who he was. “We actually seen Terence Crawford in the amateurs, he actually fought Mikey, and he was very talented, very good boxer,” Garcia recalled from his latest incarnation of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy which sits inside the sprawling Moreno Valley Mall. Years before Crawford and Garcia’s younger brother turned professional and became world champions, they were nationally ranked amateurs. Robert Garcia “With Mikey,” continued Garcia, “he boxed and won a decision. He out-pointed him. so we knew there was a lot of talent but then when he was brought to Top Rank by (his original manager) Cameron Dunkin, they weren’t too sure.” While the bulk of Crawford’s career was with Top Rank, the native of Omaha, Nebraska, actually began his career with TKO Boxing Promotions. This long forgotten outfit actually signed other future world champions like Leo Santa Cruz and Randy Caballero. As he began his professional run in 2008, Crawford honed his skills on club shows that took place in venues like the Valencia Ballroom and the War Memorial Coliseum in Pennsylvania. But as the company folded up its operation, Dunkin (who managed numerous champions throughout the years before his passing in 2024), needed to find a home for his stable of boxers. Top Rank was a bit unsure of adding Crawford to their roster despite their long-standing relationship with Dunkin. “They asked me, they asked Mikey, everybody that knew him from the amateurs, we all said, ‘He’s the one you’ve got to sign, the one you’ve got to have,'” said Garcia. By the summer of 2011, Crawford was under the Top Rank banner, and Garcia would see him often as the majority of his boxers (Steven Luevano and Brandon Rios among others) were with the same company. Ring Magazine During his run with Top Rank, Crawford captured the WBO lightweight title, then moved up to junior welterweight where he was able to consolidate all four belts. Then after a long and frustrating stretch as the WBO welterweight champion, he finally became the undisputed king at 147 in 2023 after conclusively defeating Errol Spence. During this time Crawford earned acclaim as one of the best boxers in the world. None of this surprised Garcia “I knew he had talent,” said the Ring Magazine 2024 Trainer of the Year. “He’s challenged himself, and that’s what made him great. Now, he’s going for the third undisputed championship.” Last summer, Crawford challenged WBA junior middleweight titlist, Israil Madrimov at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. In what was a difficult and largely tactical affair, Crawford became a four-division champion by winning a unanimous decision by the scores of 115-113(twice) and 116-112. It was at this stage that talk intensified in regards to a showdown with the Mexican superstar. But Crawford first broached the idea after facing Spence. At this time, many were skeptical about his seriousness over this endeavor — including Garcia. “I thought it was first more about, ‘I’ll make a huge payday and retire.’ But I think now he really wants to become a three-division undisputed champion. To win versus Canelo would be unbelievable,” said Garcia. “I really think he wants to win.” German Villasenor Which brings about another interesting aspect about this match-up. Recent opponents of Alvarez have been, shall we say…. just happy to be there. They haven’t so much competed but capitulated on fight night. For guys like Jermell Charlo and Edgar Berlanga, their win was getting career-high purses. Showing up to face Alvarez was just a requirement to cashing their checks. Garcia states, “Most of the guys recently that have fought ‘Canelo’, they’re just thankful that he gave them that opportunity, and gave them the biggest payday of their lives. They’re happy and they thank him for everything. I think Crawford is there to win.” Talk to anyone that has been around Crawford and they will tell you that he is a ferocious competitor. Almost to a point of being pathological in his need to come out victorious in anything he participates in. Rest assured, to paraphrase Herm Edwards: Crawford…will…play…to…win…the…game. That certainly wasn’t the case with William Scull, who literally ran circles around Alvarez, during their bout in May in Saudi Arabia. His effort was more worthy of the Boston Marathon than a professional prizefight. But it did leave some lingering questions about Alvarez, who now has 67 bouts under his belt (63-2-2, 39 KOs) and is now 34 years old. Was this the sign of decay, or just a bad dance partner? Or a bit of both? “The opponent was awful but did Canelo not try enough?” Garcia asked. “I don’t know, but that’s why after that fight, that’s when I started thinking, ‘Crawford has a shot, and he might even win.” Because Crawford’s actually a little taller than ‘Canelo’. He’s got great heart, great speed. I don’t think he’s going to run like Scull did.” Netflix “Look, ‘Canelo’ in his last few fights he’s flat-footed, he’s not aggressive, he doesn’t throw combinations, especially his last fight. He threw one punch at a time, wasn’t too hungry to go out there and please the fans, the world,” opined Garcia, who believes that Alvarez with all his accolades might be a fighter who is now civilized. “I think he’s already at a position where, ‘I’m already making my money, I’m the biggest star in boxing.’ So that’s all he’s worried about. I think Crawford is there to win.” But beating Alvarez wont just come down to his age, or corrosion. The guy facing him, has to be a legitimately elite guy — like Bivol — who has to have a really good night. No matter what version of Alvarez we saw back in May, it’s still easier said than done. There has to be a mix of tangibles and intangibles to defeat a superstar on the games biggest stages. Crawford just might be the guy. When asked what his strengths were as a fighter, Garcia said: “He’s got great skills obviously, good speed, against ‘Canelo’ I think he’s going to be faster, he’s going to throw a lot more punches. But obviously if he tries to exchange and ‘Canelo’ lands a punch, he might hurt him. I wouldn’t be surprised but I think Crawford’s good enough boxing, using angles, side-to-side movement.” But there are no flawless fighters, even a guy like Crawford has some imperfections. Terence Crawford “If ‘Canelo’ lands that punch, he can hurt him and knock him out. It’s not the size because Crawford’s big too. It’s that ‘Canelo’ has has great power, too. Also his guts may work against him, again — ‘Canelo’ hits hard. I’ve heard from many people, and Crawford has been hurt, he’s been dropped. Even though it’s not on his record, Egidijus Kavaliauskas, did drop him.” The fight that Garcia is referring to Crawford’s bout against ‘the Mean Machine’ in 2019 where he was clipped by a right hand early in the fight, and a few follow up shots had him on one knee. There is a great debate if that was a clean knockdown, but it was certainly a case where he was stunned. Yuriorkis Gamboa also buzzed him in their bout early on. In both instances, Crawford made the necessary adjustments and dominated the rest of the way. But keep in mind both of these were smaller fighters. “So that’s the only question we have there,” admitted Garcia. “I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘Canelo’ does land and hurts him.” Chances are that with the naturally bigger and stronger Alvarez, Crawford will employ much more movement and wont stand in front of him for too long. There is also this variable, the track record says that Alvarez has had some issues with movement and southpaws. Crawford has a well-earned reputation as one of the greatest switch hitters in boxing history. The advantage in hand speed favors Crawford, and chances are that there will be segments where he beats Alvarez to the punch. Given his stout whiskers, to ever really hurt him, Crawford will have to put punches together. But that’s where Crawford could actually lead himself into danger by not leaving well enough alone. If he sticks around too long inside the pocket it could become a point of diminishing returns. After all, he is still facing someone that has an advantage in power. “If he lands one and two, get the fuck out of the way and do it again, and again,” stated Garcia. “Because if he wants to get greedy, he’s risking a lot.” In Garcia’s view Crawford has to balance offensive output with strategic movement. All the while controlling the tempo and pace of this bout. Even during his peak, Alvarez never had the quickest feet. In the past, movement has troubled him. Perhaps the Scull fight is a bit of an outlier, given how much he scampered around the ring. But the point is that Alvarez is more comfortable facing foes who will be there for him, and for the most part work let him work in a straight line. It’s imperative that Crawford consistently makes Alvarez re-set his feet and turn him. Canelo-Crawford “100-percent,” agreed Garcia, who added that Crawford must, “do that for 12 rounds. Don’t think, ‘I think I can do better.’ No, he has to fight the perfect fight and don’t change the formula.” Again, less is more. As for what his game plan for Crawford would be, Garcia states, “Combinations, speed, 2, 3 punches and move. ‘Canelo’ is going to look for one punch. I don’t think that’s going to work. He needs to work on pressing and combinations. For Crawford, it’s footwork, be in great shape for 12 rounds, great angles and put those 1, 2 punches together and be disciplined for those full 36 minutes. Not one second where he thinks, ‘I can do more.'” Does a good big man always beat a good small man? Garcia isn’t so sure. Over the years, he’s seen Crawford and become an admirer of his. He has witnessed his full evolution from a talented amateur, to a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer. He’s a believer. “I think Crawford by decision,” he said, boldly, earlier this summer. “Thinking about it, ‘Canelo’s last few fights has he even tried to go for the knockout? He does enough to win, and maybe he’ll do that with Crawford. But I think Crawford will pull it out.”
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