Terence Crawford sends defiant message to Canelo Álvarez: “It’ll be an honor for him to be in the ring with me”

Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is staring down what may be the toughest test of his career. The former undisputed welterweight king and current junior middleweight champion is set to move up two divisions to take on Canelo Álvarez for his undisputed super middleweight crown on Sept. 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (streaming on Netflix, fight card begins 1 a.m. ET).

Speaking with AS during a promotional stop in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Omaha native made clear what fans can expect: “It’s going to be a technical fight between two of the best fighters of all time.” Like Álvarez, Crawford has held titles in four divisions — lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight, and junior middleweight.

A bold leap in weight

Jumping one weight class is tough. Jumping two is rare, especially against one of the most experienced champions in the sport. Álvarez has ruled four separate divisions and remains one of boxing’s biggest global stars.

“I’m handling it really well so far,” Crawford said during the media tour. “I’m a very different opponent than the ones he’s faced lately.”

Canelo’s pedigree and résumé don’t rattle him. “I’m one of the biggest names in boxing too, so it’s going to be an honor for him to share the ring with me as well,” Crawford said.

Crawford thriving as the underdog

Most oddsmakers see Canelo as the clear favorite given his size and proven power at 168 pounds. That only fuels Crawford.

“I like being the underdog,” he said. “When people doubt me, I step into the ring in a better state of mind.”

A win on Sept. 13 would vault him into the top spot on the pound-for-pound list — and etch his name into boxing history.

Tough beginnings in Omaha

Crawford’s journey to boxing greatness started in hardship. Growing up in Omaha, he clashed constantly with authority, expelled from five schools for fighting. His home life was equally brutal, with an abusive mother who, he recalls, even offered neighborhood kids $10 to try to beat him up — none ever succeeded.

Those childhood experiences, he says, made him immune to pain. “It toughened me up,” Crawford has admitted.

Terence Crawford’s brush with death

Crawford’s street life nearly ended it all shortly after he turned pro in 2008. After winning a game of darts, he got into his truck when a rival shot him in the head. The bullet pierced the window, slowed just enough, and ricocheted off his skull. Miraculously, he survived — and drove himself to the hospital.

That near-death experience changed everything. Crawford poured himself fully into boxing and never looked back. Since then, he has become a four-division world champion and one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best.

Now, with a shot at Canelo, he has the chance to write the defining chapter of his career.

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