Boxing
Terence Crawford’s Super Middleweight Sparring Partner Previews Canelo Super Fight
Terence Crawford of Omaha (41-0, 31 KOs) will compete in one of the biggest fights of his life on Saturday night when he takes on fellow star Canelo Álvarez of Guadalajara, Mexico (62-2-2, 39 KOs).
Facing off at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, two of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world will compete for Álvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title. Crawford will be debuting in the weight class, having fought at super welterweight in his last outing.
Terence Crawford blew up the internet over the weekend when he posted this photo of himself to his Instagram account. Photo: Terence Crawford/Instagram
Bookmakers have Álvarez as a slight favorite going into the bout as he looks to make it seven wins in a row, following his loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
However, people in the boxing community have been largely split when it comes to predicting a winner for the bout. Many feel that Álvarez’s size will be too much for ‘Bud’ to handle. However, others feel that Crawford is the more technical and skilled of the pair.
According to recent comments from one of Crawford’s sparring partners, it appears as if size should not be an issue for the American.
Terence Crawford Described as Strong by Sparring Partner
Crawford will be ascending two weight classes when he takes on Álvarez on September 13. However, Crawford will have a half-inch height advantage in the fight, as well as three-and-a-half inches in reach.
In terms of Crawford’s current physique, fans have been impressed with the condition of ‘Bud’ going into the blockbuster fight.
Another element that indicates the size difference will not be as apparent as many have previously implied is thanks to comments from Alarenz Reynolds, Crawford’s sparring partner.
Reynolds, a 22-year-old light heavyweight from Auburn, Washington, has a professional record of 9-1, with six wins by knockout. Reynolds is riding a three-fight knockout streak, all of them in fewer than two rounds in bouts taking place in Mexico. Reynolds is rebuilding his resume after a knockout loss to Abel Gonzalez on a ProBox card in 2024.
Watch Reynolds score a body shot knockout win in his February fight in Colima, Mexico.
‘I Don’t Think He’ll Have A Problem With Álvarez’
Reynolds has weighed in as heavy as 183.5 pounds in his career, making him an ideal foil for Crawford to work on pushing a bigger man back this Saturday.
Speaking to Boxing News, Reynolds described Crawford as ‘strong’ when asked how he may fare against Alvarez. “That man is strong … I don’t think he’ll have a problem with [Álvarez],” Reynolds said.
When Reynolds was asked what Crawford’s key to victory was against Álvarez, he replied, “Use his skills. I think he has the better skills. I’d say just box him.”
Crawford’s sparring partner also gave credit to the enthusiasm of ‘Bud.’ “For 37 years old, he’s training like he’s 25.”
Reynolds also insisted that the fighting at super middleweight will be no issue at all for Crawford.
Terence Crawford has added a great deal of upper-body muscle to build himself into a super middleweight. Photo: Courtesy Everlast
Canelo Alvarez’s Power Primary Concern For Reynolds
When Reynolds was asked about what elements of Álvarez’s game that Crawford should be ‘mindful’ of, he simply responded, “Power.”
Álvarez has 39 professional victories via stoppage. However, the Mexican great has not earned a finish since his 2021 victory over Caleb Plant.
Álvarez has scored knockdowns in four of his last five fights, with his most recent opponent, William Scull, being the only man to not hit the canvas.
Reynolds went on to say that the power of Álvarez was the only thing that Crawford had to be concerned about when the pair meet. He was also confident that his sparring partner would become the undisputed super middleweight champion on Saturday night.
The 9-1 fighter was asked if he believed Crawford had the power to ‘earn the respect of Álvarez’. Reynold’s response was, “I don’t know, we’ll see.”
The lack of confidence in Reynold’s answer was explained, as the fighter feels Álvarez’s experience throughout his career has seen him face ‘big punchers’ in the past.
When Álvarez and Crawford meet in Las Vegas on Saturday night, they will be the only men on the card competing in a full world title bout. The event at the Allegiant Stadium will see the interim WBC World Super Middleweight title on the line, as Christian Mbilli of Montreal (29-0, 24 KOs) takes on Lester Martinez of Guatemala (19-0, 16 KOs) on the undercard.
The winner of the co-main event will likely be eager for an opportunity to face the winner of Álvarez vs Crawford following the conclusion of the event.
