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Paulie Malignaggi believes Terence Crawford has an excellent likelihood of beating unified tremendous middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez of their combat in September. He says he initially didn’t suppose Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) may win resulting from him being “too small,” however he feels that Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs) is not in his prime.
Malignaggi states Crawford has a preventing type just like Floyd Mayweather Jr, and he feels that Canelo gave up when he misplaced to him of their combat in 2013. The Mexican star is so much stronger than he was again then, and there received’t be a catchweight to weaken him like there was again then.
Crawford’s Starvation
Paulie says Crawford is hungry, giving him an excellent shot at defeating Canelo. Clearly, he should not be that hungry to sit down inactive for a stable yr since his final combat. Crawford could have been afraid to combat for concern of shedding to one of many junior middleweights, after which his massive payday towards Canelo disappearing. Terence didn’t need to check himself at 168, which is comprehensible if he was fearful about getting beat.
“I originally thought Crawford was too small. I think Crawford was a way more complete fighter than Canelo ever was. It’s not out of the question [that Terence wins],” stated Paulie Malignaggi to Fighthype, discussing the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford that’s anticipated to happen in September.
Crawford could be too small to remain within the pocket, and battle Canelo the best way he’ll have to have an opportunity of successful. He regarded weak in his debut at 154 towards Israil Madrimov, and was persistently out-punched by the a lot stronger-looking WBA champion. Transferring up two divisions to face an much more highly effective Canelo, it doesn’t look good for Crawford.
Canelo’s Decline
“This Canelo is not the prime Canelo. This Canelo is trying to steal bags while half-a***** it,” stated Malignaggi. “When Canelo has been put in tough situations where he had to dig down, what has he done? He hasn’t really dug down and gone for broke in fights where he was losing.”
“He just kind of accepted the loss. We saw that against Floyd [Mayweather Jr.] too [as well as against Dmitry Bivol]. He never really took a risk in the Floyd fight when he was outclassed. He just accepted it. Ever since [the Bivol fight], he dropped the level of his opposition tremendously,” stated Paulie about Canelo.
You may give Canelo a move for his losses to Mayweather and Bivol as a result of he was in a troublesome place. When he fought the nonetheless prime model of Mayweather in 2013, he was solely 22 years previous. He made issues worse for himself by agreeing to a 152-lb catchweight. On the weigh-in, Canelo regarded drained and wanted to sit down down to collect himself. He didn’t look effectively.
“He [Crawford] is a guy that reminds me of Floyd and is hungry, motivated and wants to be the best,” stated Malingaggi. “He has that mean streak in the ring. Crawford wants to go for that gusto. That doesn’t mean Crawford wins because he’s small. I believe more now that Crawford can win than when it was first talked about.”
You’ll be able to’t say that Crawford needs to combat the very best as a result of ever since his combat with Madrimov, he’s proven little interest in preventing any of the opposite guys at 154. That exhibits that he realizes he reached his limits, and if he fought the opposite prime fighters, he is aware of he’d lose. So, you’ll be able to’t say that he at all times needs to achieve for the “gusto,” as a result of his resume is simply too weak to show that. Crawford solely has wins over Errol Spence and Madrimov to show that he’s fought the very best.
He didn’t need to transfer as much as 168 to check himself. If Terence actually believed in himself, he’d have carried out so. Crawford is aware of his limits, and simply needs the payday towards Canelo relatively than testing himself.
“I would love to see Crawford win because if Canelo gets this payday, which is going to be a big payday,” stated Malignaggi. “If he also gets the win out of it, it’s too much of a reward for ducking Benavidez and being allowed to duck the mandatory contender and holding all the belts hostage for so long and not allowing that weight class run its course like it should.”
Legacy or Payday?
When you have a look at it from a impartial standpoint with out anger at both fighter, it seems to be like Crawford isn’t going to win resulting from his expertise at 168, lack of energy, and age. Additionally, he could also be taking this combat for all of the improper causes by transferring as much as combat Canelo for the payday, not for the sake of his legacy.
Crawford says he’s carried out it for legacy functions, however that appears like hogwash. If he had been doing it for that cause, he’d have moved up and fought one of many prime contenders like David Benavidez, David Morrell or Diego Pacheco. That is extra about cash.
“I believe for the higher of boxing, Crawford wins as a result of he went about his profession the suitable approach by attempting to chase the very best on a regular basis. I really feel he’s continually testing himself. That Madrimov combat was very spectacular. Madrimov is an excellent fighter. That combat was neck and neck. It may have been a draw. That was high-level chess.
“To have the ability to maintain that focus in your mid-30s towards this younger, excessive IQ fighter with explosive and naturally larger fighter, that was spectacular to me. He [Crawford] perhaps too small for Canelo, however he’s undoubtedly nowhere close to the flexibility Crawford is.
“He maybe better than Canelo out of the right-handed stance, and that’s not his stance. Crawford is mainly a southpaw. Crawford is more versatile in one stance than Canelo is, but is he too small? One thing I noticed in the Madrimov fight is Crawford had to give more ground than he usually does. Canelo, in the Golovkin rematch, he pressed. One thing Canelo does well is he cuts off the ring well. Can you take away the spacing of the smaller guy [Crawford] because he’s going to need spacing because he’s so much smaller. I don’t know,” stated Malignaggi.
