Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford is right here and the TKO Boxing period has begun.
UFC CEO Dana White takes a long-awaited dive into the boxing world this Saturday and he’s swinging large as a part of the group selling the dream matchup between legendary boxing champions Alvarez and Crawford. Alvarez has been one of many largest stars of his era, however the undefeated Crawford has carved out his personal legacy over the previous decade and a win over Alvarez may sign a altering of the guard.
MMA Combating’s Alexander Okay. Lee and Jed Meshew look forward to the stakes of the megafight and what it may imply for the way forward for the business.
1. Does Terence Crawford develop into the No. 1 identify in boxing with a win?
Lee: The door is vast open right here, as a result of as nice as Terence Crawford has been, he hasn’t damaged into the mainstream on the identical degree of a few of his contemporaries. Tyson Fury’s outsized character is inconceivable to disregard, Oleksandr Usyk’s two-division dominance has captured the hearts of hardcore struggle followers, and even Naoya Inoue has managed to construct an unimaginable buzz round his fights regardless of hardly ever competing within the U.S. Regardless of arguably being the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on this planet, Crawford by some means nonetheless will get misplaced within the shuffle.
However sure, if he beats Canelo in convincing trend, that’s the nudge he must lastly get the popularity he deserves. At 37 (38 by the tip of the month), it’s unlikely that Crawford will maintain on to this torch for lengthy, but when he can maximize his incomes potential within the twilight of his profession, extra energy to him.
Meshew: I’m going to say no, simply because if he wins, “Bud” would possibly simply cling them up. I imply, he already has principally nothing to show, and this struggle goes to make him extraordinarily wealthy. Even when he beats Canelo, I don’t suppose anybody would really like his probabilities long run at tremendous middleweight, so what would he preserve preventing for?
Stroll away from preventing at 42-0, the highest pound-for-pound fighter on this planet, and doubtless the very best boxer of this era. That needs to be greater than sufficient for anybody. And then he could make his manner into the nonsense preventing ring, and tackle Jake Paul or Mike Tyson or Floyd Mayweather in “exhibition” fights the place he makes hundreds of thousands of {dollars} and doesn’t have practically the identical degree of danger.
2. From a viewership standpoint, how large will this struggle be?
Lee: Possibly I’ve been in a bubble (or overseas), however doesn’t it really feel like there simply hasn’t been any buzz for this one? The entire operation has felt sort of thrown along with the date and placement being switched up at one level and a totally forgettable undercard (identify one different struggle off the highest of your head, you’ll be able to’t). We needs to be extra excited! It’s frigging Canelo vs. Crawford!
As jazzed as we’re all more likely to be by the point struggle not rolls round, I can’t see the hype round this one coming near vital mass. Even setting the Netflix viewership bar effectively beneath the absurd heights of Tyson vs. Paul, I feel Dana and Turki will find yourself being barely upset when the numbers are available in. Then once more, in the event that they pull in 50-60 million reside viewers for the principle occasion, that needs to be thought of a house run nonetheless, proper?
So I’m predicting hit for TKO, however the sort of occasion that can nonetheless resonate a yr from now? Hmm…
Meshew: I really don’t know. AK is true that this doesn’t really feel prefer it has the identical hype as Tyson vs. Paul, however in fact it doesn’t. And it nonetheless does have some juice. I all the time defer to the “Mother Check” the place I do know a struggle is an enormous deal if regular individuals in my on a regular basis life ask me about it, and I’ve already had a few of that with this. Plus, it’s on Netflix, which principally everybody has. So I feel will probably be decently large.
However I don’t suppose it would do close to the 50-60 million quantity. This might be an enormous boxing occasion with some crossover attraction, however it’s additionally taking place on Saturday evening, and lord is aware of that almost all people who find themselves randomly on Netflix and would watch a struggle, are most likely watching faculty soccer as a substitute (LSU vs. Florida and Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame are subsequent weekend).
3. How will the struggle play out?
Lee: Canelo has (justifiably) earned a status for enjoying it protected and never pushing the tempo lately, however I’m optimistic Crawford will deliver out the very best in him. And in addition beat him.
Crawford is giving up a ton of measurement right here, so he’ll need to be at his tough, switchy greatest to throw Canelo off. Neither man is understood for being the quickest starter, so I’m curious to see who tries to steal the early rounds in what is going to doubtless find yourself being a detailed struggle on the playing cards.
Give me Crawford to outwork Canelo and land the very best punches of the struggle, even with the Mexican star more likely to surge in rounds 10, 11, and 12. And since that is boxing, I’ll additionally go together with the plain prediction that we’ll have controversy on the playing cards. That’s received to be -1000 not less than within the books.
Meshew: I’ll be extremely shocked if Canelo doesn’t win, and I anticipate him to win comparatively straightforward. I really like Terence Crawford and suppose he’s the very best pound-for-pound fighter on this planet, however he’s giving up a large quantity of measurement right here, and he’s getting older. Crawford didn’t even look superb towards Israel Madrimov, and Canelo is a a lot better fighter, and an even bigger one.
On the finish of the day, the best reply for predicting a Canelo struggle is ask, “Did Canelo settle for this struggle?” As a result of if he did, he’s most likely profitable. There’s a motive Canelo hasn’t fought David Benavidez, as a result of he would possibly not win. And this stage of his profession is all about managing danger for Canelo. For Crawford, the chance is simply too large to cross up, however for Canelo, that is prize preventing: largest payday for least danger.
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