Boxing

Terence Crawford Sends Blunt Message On Physical Appearance Ahead Of Canelo Alvarez Fight

Terence Crawford got clear about the decision to add size before fighting Canelo Alvarez.
Grant Young|
IMAGO / Torsten Helmke

There are now two weeks until pound-for-pound greats Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford meet in the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, which will be broadcast for the world to see on Netflix.

Ever since this iconic fight was announced earlier in the year, the biggest question has been how Crawford will address the size disadvantage he has against Canelo, given that Crawford's natural weight class is several beneath super middleweight (where Canelo reigns), and he's moving up to challenge the undisputed and unified super middleweight champion.

There's a case to be made that Crawford not adding any size or weight would be the wisest choice. This is because Crawford is clearly at his best when he's lean and fighting fast, rather than relying on strength and punching power; not to mention that Canelo is still going to be bigger than him on fight night, even if Crawford does bulk up some.

Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford
IMAGO / Hoganphotos

However, most would agree that Crawford should probably put on some size and weight, if only to he can handle Canelo's power better. Regardless of which decision fans should Crawford should make with his size before fighting Canelo, there has been a lot of interest in his physical appearance, as it would convey whether he wanted to remain lean or put on some mass.

MORE: Mike Tyson Predicts "Tricky" Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford Winner

This is why a photo of Crawford posing without a shirt less than three weeks before the fight went viral, as fans are noting that he seemingly didn't add any size and elected to remain lean for this showdown.

Terence Crawford Addresses Physical Form Before Fighting Canelo Alvarez

Crawford spoke with the media on August 29. And at one point, he was asked whether he had put on weight or muscle during this fight camp.

"It comes natural with working out. Like I said before, the only thing about this camp [that's] different than any other camp is, I don't got to cut muscle," Crawford responded, per a YouTube video from Fight Hub TV.

"I don't got to watch what I do in strength and conditioning. I can go fully all out, and do what I need to do to get stronger," Crawford added.

It sounds like Crawford isn't overly worried about how he looks or what he weighs against Canelo, and is instead focusing on producing the best version of himself on September 13, regardless of what that means for his weight.

Time will tell whether this is the correct strategy.

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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.