Tim Bradley Warns Crawford: “Don’t Get Hit By Canelo!”

Tim Bradley advises Terence Crawford to use all of his technical skills to avoid getting hit by Canelo Alvarez on September 13th. He feels that Canelo’s power is too much for Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) to risk getting hit in their fight on Netflix.

What’s going to make it tougher for Crawford is jumping two weight classes to 168 after getting marked up at 154 in his debut in that division last August against Israil Madrimov. Crawford didn’t stop at 160 or take a tune-up at 168 against someone with similar power.

Bradley says Crawford, 37, is getting this opportunity for two reasons:

1. Turki Alalshikh
2. Canelo wouldn’t fight David Benavidez

Turki likely would have made the fight with Benavidez, but Canelo wouldn’t have done it. He reportedly wanted $200 million. It’s a fight that would have generated far more buzz than this one because Canelo would have been the underdog.

Bradley’s Canelo-Crawford Warning

“I would advise Crawford not to get hit by Canelo. We don’t need to see your toughness,” said Tim Bradley on his YouTube channel. “We need to see your brilliance. You’re going to need to use every skill in your entire body to beat this man, Canelo. He’s coming. Whenever someone is fighting you, Crawford, they’re going to be really.”

Turki’s directive of not wanting to see non-engaging Tom and Jerry fights in his events means that Crawford is going to fight Canelo in the pocket at least some of the time, because he’ll want to continue fighting on his cards. Crawford’s chin is going to be tested. He stood up to ‘Little GGG’ Israil Madrimov’s power shots. So, he might be able to handle Canelo’s power.

“All the Mexicans are going to be out. You’re going to be hell of outnumbered,” said Bradley about what it’ll be like for Crawford fighting Alvarez on Mexican Independence Day in Las Vegas. “This is going to be a fight to remember. This is about legacy for Crawford. Not more so for Canelo Alvarez. He has everything to lose.”

Bradley is right. Canelo has everything to lose in this fight, and not much to gain other than money. If he loses to Crawford, it’s going to tarnish his legacy worse than if he fought Benavidez and lost. Beating Crawford won’t do much for Canelo because he’s two divisions above him.

Why Crawford Got Canelo Fight

“The reason why this fight is happening is because of Turki Alalshikh,” said Bradley. “That’s one. Two, Canelo is too soft to fight Benavidez. That’s it. Straight soft. That’s why this fight is happening. Crawford is getting an opportunity that he never got in his career.”

Canelo should have taken the fight with Benavidez instead of this one, because it makes him look weak that he’s willing to fight another fighter coming up two weight classes from 154. He fought Jermell Charlo in 2023 after he came up from 154, and now he’s doing it again.

“I would love to see him fight Manny Pacquiao. I would love to see him fight against Keith Thurman. They all hid. Every last one of them. He’s getting his shot now, and he’s about to make history,” said Bradley.