Terence “Bud” Crawford couldn’t help but laugh when asked Tuesday night about whispers that he’s nursing a shoulder injury just days before the biggest fight of his life. Crawford has to dispel the rumors of him hiding an injury before his mega fight against Canelo Alvarez.
“Where I got a shoulder injury?” Crawford responded, shaking his head during his grand arrival at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. “I think people coming up with they own antics … ‘Crawford’s injured, Crawford’s slow. Crawford’s fat.’ I don’t care about all that. I just wanna fight.”
Rumors Meet Reality
In the social media era, speculation spreads quickly. Fans have been dissecting Crawford’s physique and questioning whether bulking up for 168 pounds has dulled his speed. Terence Crawford, however, dismissed the chatter with ease.
“I’m at my natural weight,” he said. “A lotta people taking it too far ‘Oh, he’s slow … he’s bulked up.’ I don’t care. We still gotta fight.”
At nearly 38 years old, Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is moving into uncharted territory. The Omaha native has fought just once above 147 pounds in his 17-year pro career — a 2024 unanimous decision win over Israil Madrimov at 154 pounds.
Canelo Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs), by contrast, has lived in the higher weight classes for years. The Mexican superstar has competed no lower than 168 since 2019 and has even fought at 175 pounds twice. Yet on paper, Crawford doesn’t look outsized. At 5-foot-8 with a four-inch reach advantage, he stands nearly eye-to-eye with Alvarez.
The Odds Tighten
When the fight was first announced, Alvarez opened as more than a 2-1 betting favorite. Now, sportsbooks list him at -165 with Crawford close behind at +135, signaling just how competitive fans and oddsmakers expect this matchup to be.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
