LAS VEGAS – Shakur Stevenson has felt firsthand how hard Terence Crawford can punch during sparring sessions that taught Stevenson invaluable lessons early in his career.
The two-division champion has also seen Crawford hurt a heavyweight in sparring. Those experiences have made Stevenson believe skeptics have underestimated Crawford’s chances if he were to land a shot at Canelo Alvarez.
Crawford would have to move up three weight classes, 21 pounds altogether, for what would be the biggest fight of his career. The Omaha, Nebraska native has never boxed above the welterweight limit of 147 pounds in 15 years as a pro, but Stevenson doesn’t view Crawford coming up so much in weight as an insurmountable disadvantage.
Stevenson acknowledged during a recent interview with a group of reporters and videographers that Alvarez’s power is a factor to consider. He is nonetheless confident that Alvarez wouldn’t walk through Crawford’s punches, either.
“Canelo’s gonna feel his punch just as much as Bud feels Canelo’s punch,” Stevenson said before an open workout at promoter Top Rank’s gym.
Stevenson realized just how hard Crawford punches when he watched the three-division champion spar an unidentified heavyweight early in 2019.
“Bud strong as sh!t,” Stevenson said. “Like I said, I’m gonna tell y’all this story. I said it before, but I’mma say it again. I was in the gym. I wanna say I was getting ready for Chris Diaz or something, and he was sparring like a heavyweight fighter. I’m looking. I’m type nervous for him. I’m like, ‘Why is he in the ring with this big, old dude?’
“And man, I swear he done caught this dude on his chin. Boom! Dude wobbling all around the ring. I’m like, ‘What the f—? How is this dude this strong?’ But it’s like, honestly, Bud is very strong. People don’t realize how strong he is as a fighter and his punching power could carry through the weight classes.”
Alvarez obviously is the more proven puncher against heavier opponents. The Mexican icon has won a light heavyweight title bout by knockout against Russia’s Sergey Kovalev and has won four super middleweight championship matches inside the distance.
The 26-year-old Stevenson, a lightweight contender from Newark, New Jersey, is certain, though, that Crawford is a better boxer than the undisputed super middleweight champion.
“I think he’ll out-box Canelo,” Stevenson said. “I think Canelo is a hell of a fighter. I don’t take nothing away from him, but I just think Bud is a better boxer.”
The 33-year-old Alvarez (60-2-2, 39 KOs) is expected to return to the ring May 4. His opponent hasn’t been chosen, but Crawford has lobbied for consideration.
Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) is contractually obligated to an immediate rematch with Errol Spence Jr. It is possible, however, that Spence (28-1, 22 KOs) won’t remain committed to that second fight with Crawford if the undefeated, undisputed welterweight champ demands that it be contested at their division’s 147-pound limit.
The 36-year-old Crawford stated in the immediate aftermath of his ninth-round stoppage of Spence on July 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that he was willing to move up to the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds for their rematch. Crawford, who by winning their fight gets to dictate the contracted weight for their rematch, has since indicated that he wants to oppose Spence at 147 pounds again.
Stevenson, meanwhile, is preparing for a fight against Dominican southpaw Edwin De Los Santos on November 16 in Las Vegas.
ESPN will televise the 12-round, 135-pound championship bout between Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs) and De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KOs) from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. They’ll fight for the vacant WBC lightweight title.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.