Boxing tips: Best bet for Canelo Alvarez v Terence Crawford

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are set for a huge undisputed super-middleweight showdown when the Mexican defends his four 168lbs belts against the former two-weight undisputed king.

Crawford takes a jump up in weight, but Bud is unbeaten in 41-fight career, while Canelo is a two-time super-middleweight king who contests his 68th professional contest in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Selection

Terence Crawford to beat Canelo Alvarez @ 7/5

Crawford can cement his legacy

Crawford can already be considered an all-time great having become the first man to become a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era and Bud can make it three weight divisions by beating Alvarez in Las Vegas.

Of course, the Nebraska fighter makes the step up to super-middleweight at the Allegiant Stadium and, while that is an unknown, it’s not necessarily as negative as the market is portraying.

What we do know is that Crawford has all of the abilities needed to beat Canelo and the American can showcase those talents in Las Vegas.

The 37-year-old has beaten Israil Madrimov, Errol Spence Jr, David Avanesyan, Shawn Porter and Kell Brook in his last five fights.

You could go through and pick some holes in those opponents, but those victories are pretty much the pick of Crawford’s record and all of them have come in his last five bouts.

Compare that record to Canelo, who has got past John Ryder, Jermell Charlo, Jaime Munguia, Edgar Berlanga and William Scull in his previous five contests.

Ryder was short of world level and soon retired following his loss to the Mexican.

Charlo wasn’t a super-middleweight and immediately called time on his career following the defeat to the Guadalajara fighter.

Munguia has since lost to Bruno Surace, Berlanga was destroyed by Hamzah Sheeraz, while the Scull contest was a farce.

It’s not just opinion which gives doubt over the level of opponent Canelo has been facing, the betting tells the story too.

The 35-year-old was 1/66 and 1/20 in his last two bouts, but there will be no easy ride for the super-middleweight king in Las Vegas.

Crawford has the skill, movement, punch variety and defensive abilities to make it a seriously difficult night for Canelo and that may not have been accurately reflected by the fight prices.