Terence Crawford is preparing to take on a massive challenge in jumping up multiple weight categories to fight Canelo Alvarez this year with a previous sparring partner of the former seeing a lot of parity in the prizefight. Appearing on Bare Knuckle Bowker, Andrew Strode touched on multiple subjects ahead of his battle with Gee Perez for the interim flyweight championship at BKFC 78 on July 12th.
In addition to his bare knuckle successes, Strode has had over two hundred gloved boxing bouts across amateur and pro competition. Throug that journey, Strode had some instances in the past of training and getting in work with Terence Crawford.
When discussing the machinations of the matchup between Crawford and Alvarez for September 13th, Strode said,
“I sparred Terence Crawford when I was about seventeen and then again when I was like twenty two or twenty three out in the … He’s one of the greats, they’ve got a good fight coming up against Canelo, and I just feel like it’s a 50-50 fight. It can go either way. I’m pulling for more Terence Crawford because I know him and I actually sparred with him and I know what he can bring. I’ve never sparred Canelo. So they’re both legends in the sport of boxing. I just feel like Crawford would take it sixty-forty percent to me but that’s just my guess.”
Resurfaced Terence Crawford sparring video breeds uncertainties ahead of canelo alvarez fight
With Terence Crawford moving up to super middleweight for this fight, recently resurfaced footage of him sparring a current middleweight champion has some wondering if ‘Bud’ is being too bold by jumping up two weight classes to fight Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds. Current WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames was seen getting in work with Crawford with some critics noting several instances of Adames seemingly getting the better of several exchanges.
The video reportedly was taken during Crawford’s days as a lightweight though and ‘Bud’ has not competed in that weight category since 2014. Supporters also came out though and quipped about how sparring is used for fighter refinement purposes and does not always paint a sophisticated picture of how certain fighters will do in a live action competitive framework.
