🥊 The Ricketts Report: Canelo vs. Crawford – Who Has the Edge?

When you look at this potential super-fight between Canelo Álvarez and Terence “Bud” Crawford, you can’t help but get excited. It’s two masters of the craft — one a seasoned veteran who’s been at the top for over a decade, the other a switch-hitting genius who seems to solve every puzzle put in front of him.

Everyone’s asking: what happens when these two meet in the ring? Here’s how I see it.

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🔥 Canelo’s Approach – Patient Predator

Canelo is not the reckless come-forward fighter he once was. Against guys like Daniel Jacobs, we saw him stalking with patience — hands high, cutting the ring, throwing sharp one-two combinations and stabbing that stiff jab to the body and head.

If he tries to throw too much early, he risks two things:

1. Gassing himself out — we’ve seen him fade in the later rounds before (Bivol, Golovkin II, even Plant).

2. Giving Bud reads — Crawford loves data. The more you show him, the faster he downloads and adapts.

But if Canelo stays economical — picking his spots, being right there in front of Bud, and forcing him to think — he could bank early rounds while keeping himself fresh.

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⚡ Crawford’s Counter – Southpaw from the Start

Now here’s the twist: Bud might flip the script and start in a southpaw stance right from round one.

Why?

That right jab of his would line up directly with Canelo’s lead hand, effectively taking away Canelo’s jab, which is crucial to his rhythm.

By disrupting that jab, Bud forces Canelo to throw more combinations to find success. And that’s exactly where Crawford wants him — in a firefight.

Bud’s timing, reflexes, and ability to punish mistakes are on another level. If Canelo opens up, Bud has the tools to counter with a crisp left hand down the pipe or a slick check right hook. And once Bud gets your rhythm, he doesn’t let go.

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⚖️ The Trade-Offs

For Canelo: The danger is burning energy or overcommitting in exchanges. His best path is to stay composed, double up the jab, lead with the right hand, and hammer Crawford’s body early.

For Crawford: The risk is stepping too close and lingering inside. That’s Canelo’s territory. His short uppercuts and hooks can end nights in an instant.

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🔮 My Prediction

This fight is chess with violence.

Early Rounds (1–4): Canelo edges them with patience, a stiff jab, and body work. Bud is watching, reading, calculating.

Middle Rounds (5–8): Crawford finds the timing, switches looks, and starts landing that left hand and right hook as Canelo tries to force the issue. The momentum begins to shift.

Championship Rounds (9–12): If Canelo has invested enough in the body, maybe he slows Bud down and grinds out a decision. But if fatigue creeps in, Bud will turn it into a shootout on his terms — and that’s where I see him breaking through.

👉 Final Word: If Canelo stays disciplined, he can win early rounds and maybe sneak a decision. But my gut? Crawford’s adaptability and engine take over late. I see Bud edging it on the cards — or even closing the show in the championship rounds.

RR