Michael Bisping doesn\u2019t like Terence Crawford\u2019s chances against Canelo Alvarez this weekend.<\/p>\n
This Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Crawford and Alvarez face off in one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches in years, broadcast live on Netflix. An undisputed champion at junior welterweight and welterweight (140 and 147 pounds), Crawford is jumping up to 168 pounds to challenge Canelo for his undisputed super middleweight title.<\/p>\n
Should Crawford \u201cBud\u201d win, he would become the first male champion to win an undisputed title in three weight classes during the four-belt era, but UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping is skeptical about Crawford\u2019s chances.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this fight, Crawford is going to have to use the footwork; he\u2019s going to have to dance around, let Canelo Alvarez come to him,\u201d Bisping said on his YouTube channel. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what he does, that\u2019s his style. He\u2019s got beautiful footwork. He\u2019s going to wait for Canelo to chase him down, and he\u2019s going to look for Canelo to make mistakes. He\u2019s going to look for Canelo to overexpose, to get frustrated, to wing in some wild shots, and when he throws, and he gets a little reckless, leaves the opening, that\u2019s where Crawford is going to step in.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s a hard thing to do for 12 rounds, to dance around, to stay away, to be on your bike, to circle, to fight with a ridiculously high IQ. He does do that, but at some point, he\u2019s going to have to stop and stand. This is a fight, after all. And if he\u2019s going to win this fight, in Las Vegas, against Canelo Alvarez, the face of boxing, he\u2019s got to stand and trade. He\u2019s probably going to have to give the finish. There\u2019s no way they\u2019re going to give a decision against Canelo Alvarez unless it\u2019s very, very one-sided.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Canelo Alvarez is going to fight like he fights, and at some point, Crawford is going to have to stand and trade, as simple as that. And with Canelo being the bigger guy, with Canelo being the stronger guy, with Canelo being used to fighting and absorbing those kinds of punches and power, I think it\u2019s a really tough task for Crawford.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Alvarez began his career at welterweight, most of his biggest wins have come at either middleweight or super middleweight, and even a brief foray to light heavyweight. Crawford, meanwhile, is taking this fight after just one bout at junior middleweight, where he won the WBO interim title over Israil Madrimov. Given the size disparity expected between the two, Bisping says this is simply a matter of physics.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving up multiple weight classes to take on the bigger man,\u201d Bisping said. \u201cHe\u2019s going to be faster, he\u2019s going to be lighter on the feet. He\u2019s very, very technical. Technically, I think Crawford is the better boxer, but size really does matter when it comes down to it. When it\u2019s all said and done, can you hurt Canelo Alvarez? \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Bud wins, it will be historic, it will be monumental, it will be something that is never forgotten about, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to happen,\u201d Bisping continued. \u201cCanelo Alvarez is the bigger guy, he\u2019s the face of boxing, he\u2019s fighting in Las Vegas, he\u2019s the bigger, stronger guy, he\u2019s got a good chin, he\u2019s got the harder shots, he\u2019s got the muscle to absorb it. \u2026 I think Canelo wins this fight and I think he wins it via decision or a late stoppage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drunk. Terence Crawford responds to Ilia Topuria\u2019s recent comments: \u2018That dude\u2019s drunk.\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n TV Deal. UFC owners reveal ESPN was never in serious talks to hold onto broadcast rights<\/a> after current deal expires.<\/p>\n Busted. Dana White on how he plans to fix \u2018busted sport\u2019 of boxing<\/a>: \u2018What I\u2019m going to do is basically like Contender Series.\u2019<\/p>\n Beef. Jean Silva rips Bryce Mitchell, calls for street fight<\/a> with Paulo Costa; Costa responds.<\/p>\n Stupid. Coach: \u2018Very stupid\u2019 security guard asked for picture<\/a> with Khabib Nurmagomedov after viral removal from plane.<\/p>\n Roundtable. Debating the big storylines<\/a> heading into Canelo vs. Crawford this weekend.<\/p>\n Terence Crawford at Media Day.<\/p>\n Canelo vs. Crawford Embedded, Episode 3.<\/p>\n New Smashing Machine trailer.<\/p>\n SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know what this means.<\/p>\n Angela Hill (18-15) vs. Fatima Kline (8-1); UFC 322, Nov. 15.<\/p>\n Honestly, Bisping kinda nails this one. Even the idea that Bid is moving up 2 weight classes is kinda wrong. Sure, he fought once at junior middleweight, but his career has been 147 pounds. Now he\u2019s fighting Canelo at 168 pounds. Imagine Alexander Volkanovski fighting Jack Della Maddalena. That\u2019s what we\u2019re talking here. Especially since there\u2019s basically no chance Crawford can stop Canelo. Canelo has a legendary chin, which means Bud has to win 7 rounds convincingly against a dude who, if worst comes to worst, can simply bully him.<\/p>\n Crawford is a magician, but this would be some Houdini ish to pull off.<\/p>\n If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee<\/a> or @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n