Dmitry Bivol’s coach places his bets on Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford

We’re just over a week away from one of the most anticipated boxing showdowns in recent memory: Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence “Bud” Crawford for the undisputed super middleweight title.

Set to take place Saturday, September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, this fight has the boxing world buzzing—and dividing loyalties.

Former rivals back Canelo

Among those placing their bets on the Mexican icon is Joel Díaz, the former trainer of Dmitry Bivol. Díaz, who coached Bivol during his 2022 victory over Canelo, now believes Álvarez will emerge triumphant in Vegas. He’s not just predicting a win—he’s warning that if Crawford pulls off the upset, it could damage boxing’s reputation.

“If Crawford wins, boxing loses prestige,” Díaz said bluntly, in an interview with Ring Magazine, underscoring the high stakes beyond the belts.

Díaz also hinted that a win for Canelo could reignite talks of a rematch with Bivol, who now holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles after defeating Artur Beterbiev.

The WBC belt, however, remains in the hands of David Benavidez—a fighter Canelo has notably steered clear of, despite fan pressure.

Díaz breaks down the fight

Having also trained Israil Madrimov for his August 2024 bout against Crawford, Díaz brings a unique perspective to this matchup. He predicts a tightly contested battle early on, but sees Canelo’s resilience and power tipping the scales.

“The first four rounds will be close,” Díaz explained. “But Canelo’s been hit by heavy punchers and never flinched. Once he realizes Crawford can’t hurt him, he’ll trap him and take control.”

How to watch Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford

The fight will stream exclusively on Netflix, with coverage kicking off at 3:30 p.m. EST. Main event ring walks are expected around 11:00 p.m. EST.

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