Boxing

Andre Ward Reveals 5-Word Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Prediction

Boxing icon Andre Ward finally said whether he thinks Canelo Alvarez or Terence Crawford will win.
Grant Young|
Dec 17, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Retired boxer Andre Ward on the sideline before the game between the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Dec 17, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Retired boxer Andre Ward on the sideline before the game between the Oakland Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Boxing icon and former world champion Andre Ward is one of the best minds in the entire sport. This has earned him a spot as an analyst on the Netflix broadcast team of the September 13 fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, which is taking place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ward has detailed what he expects to see when Canelo and Crawford meet in the ring before, as he said, "One of Canelo's greatest strengths is his ring presence. Even when he's resting, he's coming forward looking as if he's in control. This has the ability to unnerve and drain his opponents because they feel like they can never rest," on his Instagram story last month.

He also added, "Both Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez are puncher boxers, not boxer punchers.'They both can box, but that's really not what they want to do. They want to inflict damage. When they do box, they are either resting, regrouping, or getting in position to do what they really want to do... But come September, I believe they both fighters need to be 'boxer punchers.' They can both get to the power game. But they can't be reckless about it."

Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford
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Ward didn't deliver a decisive prediction on who he thought was going to win the fight during that previous analysis.

Andre Ward Makes Clear Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Prediction

However, Ward did send a strong message about who he thinks will win during an August 29 interview with FightHype.

"I'm going with Terence Crawford," Ward said. He then added, "Big weight jump. A dangerous fight. But somebody has got to prove to me that they can break Terence Crawford's will, and that he can't figure it out in there against you.

"It ain't no disrespect toward Canelo. But I've said this... I'm not betting against Terence Crawford against nobody right now. You've got to show me that you can beat him," Ward added.

Ward isn't alone in thinking Crawford is the more skilled fighter at this point in his career and is therefore most likely to secure the victory. However, some are still convinced Canelo is simply too big for Crawford and that he'll produce a vintage performance once September 13 rolls around.

While Ward is going to have a better view of this fight than just about anybody else, he's like the rest of us in that he has to wait almost two more weeks to see if his prediction bears fruit.

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Grant Young
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Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Boxing, New York Mets, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.