Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Terence Crawford is doing his best to get Canelo Álvarez to step in the ring with him for a long-awaited superfight between the two superstars.
Speaking to TMZ Sports (starts at 5:20 mark), Crawford said “of course I’ll beat him” when asked what would happen if the bout with Álvarez were to happen.
“It ain’t no doubt in my mind that I won’t beat anybody that I step in the ring with,” he added.
Álvarez scored a unanimous decision win over Edgar Berlanga on Saturday to retain the WBA, WBC, WBO, and The Ring super middleweight titles.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger said prior to the bout that Álvarez was seeking a potential rematch with Dmitry Bivol in May if Bivol defeats Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight title on Oct. 12.
Crawford seemed to indicate on X that he has his eyes set on Canelo following Saturday’s bout.
Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, told Coppinger in August that he is working with Crawford in an attempt to get Álvarez to agree to the bout.
“I will give Canelo what I think is a fair price,” Alalshikh said. “If he accepts it, he deals directly with me to finish the deal. I don’t want anyone in the middle. I guaranteed Crawford a big fight, I want Canelo for Crawford and Crawford wants Canelo. But if Canelo is crazy [with his financial demands] I will still guarantee Crawford any fight he wants.”
Crawford improved his record to 41-0 with a victory over Israil Madrimov to win the WBA and WBO interim lightweight titles on Aug. 3.
Álvarez has won five straight matches since Bivol defeated him in May 2022, but he has been criticized for taking fights with easy opponents to pad his resume. The 34-year-old is 62-2-2 in 66 career bouts.