Canelo Alvarez thought he’d fatally injured Amir Khan when he sent him down in the sixth round of their bout.
As Canelo is gearing up for his next outing to the ring on September 13, he is likely to be reflecting on the experiences of his 63-2-2 career thus far.
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Canelo has proven himself to be a tricky opponent with only two losses across his appearances in four-weight classesCredit: Esther Lin/PBC
The Mexican’s next opponent is Terence Crawford, in what is anticipated to be by far the biggest fight of 2025.
Crawford will step up in weight from 154lbs to 168lbs to challenge for Alvarez’s undisputed titles, as two of the leading pound-for-pound operators go head-to-head.
While they have their differences, both men have shared the ring with Khan in their illustrious careers.
The American will certainly be hoping not to meet the same fate as their mutual foe ‘King Khan’ did when he faced off with Canelo.
Especially as the 35-year-old revealed in a DAZN documentary in 2022 that his brutal knockout left him worried for Khan’s health.
He said: “With Amir Khan, he scared me a little.
“I felt a bit worried. I actually went over to see if he was okay. It was the natural reaction.
“The knockout was too strong. And on top of that, when he fell to the canvas, he twisted his neck badly.
“So, I thought something more than a knockout had happened.”
Khan weighed in at 158lbs in comparison to Canelo’s 187lbs on fight night.
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Khan’s head bounced off the canvas as Canelo sent him down in a devastating one-punch KO
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It was a brutal end and he was concerned for his opponent given how much power he had put him down withCredit: Getty
In the early rounds the Olympic silver medallist looked light on his feet, but by the fourth Canelo began finding opportunities to catch Khan out.
It was then that the momentum shifted, and in the sixth round the Mexican landed a devastating right hand that cut their WBC middleweight title fight short.
Khan later likened the shot to being ‘hit with a baseball bat’.
Canelo will certainly be hoping to bring that punching power into his next bout.
With Crawford taking on the challenge of stepping up two weight classes to meet Canelo in the ring in Las Vegas, like Khan did back in 2016.
‘Bud’ has had to pack on 14lbs to reach the 168lbs limit for their blockbuster showdown this weekend, so he will have the weight advantage that Khan was lacking nine years ago.
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Canelo’s record matches up well to Crawford, with the pair barely separated on paper going into their blockbuster bout
When he fought Khan in 2019, Crawford also stopped the Briton in the sixth round after landing a low blow.
While ‘Bud’ was certain his shot was above the belt, his opponent begs to differ.
Khan said in a post-fight interview: “I was caught with a shot below the belt. I could feel it in my stomach. I feel I couldn’t continue. I’m a warrior, I’d never give up a fight like this, I was in pain.”
What is up for grabs as Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford clash?
Both men will be vying for a knockout, especially with the undisclosed financial bonus on offer from Saudi boxing promoter, Turki Alalshikh.
In their massive undisputed super-middleweight title fight, Canelo will be looking to retain his titles as Crawford seeks to extend his professional record to 42-0.
The winner will also claim the one-of-a-kind Ring Magazine belt, valued at a staggering $188k, and only time will tell who takes it home.