Hall-of-Famer Shane Mosley has poured cold water on Terence Crawford’s quest for four-division glory, arguing that size and time tilt the September 13 super-middleweight clash firmly toward Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez. Speaking to FightHype, Mosley said the 37-year-old Crawford “isn’t a mover” anymore and will be forced to stand and trade with a champion who is naturally heavier, stronger and vastly more experienced at 168 lbs.
Mosley points to inactivity as a silent thief of Crawford’s vaunted mobility. “One fight a year since 2020 took the legs,” he noted, suggesting those diminished wheels will buckle once Canelo’s heavier artillery lands - a stark contrast to the smaller Israil Madrimov Crawford outclassed in March. “If you sit there and fight with Canelo, he’s that much bigger than you,” Mosley warned.
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The former three-weight ruler also raised an eyebrow at Turki Alalshikh’s edict against excessive movement in Riyadh main events. If Crawford feels compelled to press more than glide, Mosley believes the Nebraskan walks straight into the Mexican’s wheelhouse: short hooks and rib-cracking body work. “Canelo’s a master now,” Mosley added, reeling off a résumé that spans Mayweather, Golovkin (three times) and Bivol - opposition Mosley says dwarfs the combined threats of Errol Spence Jr. and Madrimov on Crawford’s ledger.
Whether Crawford can summon vintage footwork or devise a fresh wrinkle to blunt 19 years of Canelo ring craft remains the intrigue. Mosley, for his part, sees a long night for “Bud” and a showcase for the still-formidable face of boxing.
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