Terence Crawford is leaping up two divisions to challenge Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super-middleweight world title.
The Canelo-Crawford superfight has been confirmed for September 13 in Las Vegas.
Amir Khan boxed both Crawford and Canelo in his own career and he knows exactly what it’s like to make a two-division jump to box Alvarez. He moved from welter to middleweight when he boxed the Mexican superstar in 2016.
Ultimately Khan could not match him with Alvarez knocking him out inside six rounds.
“When I was fighting Canelo I was probably beating him on points but he was just so strong and so big,” Khan told Sky Sports.
Alvarez outpointed William Scull to reunify the super-middleweight belts
“When I was hitting him I could see that it wasn’t affecting him. The guy was riding them and waiting for that one big shot which he caught me with and put me away.
“But is he going to catch Crawford with that shot?”
When Khan boxed the American, Crawford put him down in their first round and stopped him in six.
“When I fought [Crawford] he was probably stronger than me and I was a 147lb fighter for a very long time,” Khan said. “At the moment Crawford looks unbeatable and Canelo looks strong and especially fighting a smaller guy he looks unbeatable. So let’s see how this plays out.”
Alvarez is one of the biggest stars in world boxing.
Khan warned against writing Crawford off against Canelo. “Not at all because he [Crawford] is such a technical fighter if he just boxed him technically and Crawford puts on the weight well, he’s a big 147lb fighter,” Khan said. “Massive difference in size. Size matters but lets see.
“We also know that Canelo’s a bigger puncher. Has he got the same stamina? He seems okay when he fights. But it’s tricky because is skill going to win that fight, or power?
“I’m not going to predict who’s going to win but I know it will be a hell of a fight.”
Khan the promoter
Khan intends to return to the British boxing scene as a promoter, after finishing his boxing career in 2022.
He is promoting a show in Ghana on Friday, that sees Ohara Davies return to action.
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Extended 10-minute highlights from the huge British boxing fight between Amir Khan and Kell Brook in Manchester in 2022
“I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a new chapter,” Khan said. “I’m making sure I’ve got a good stable of fighters.”
In his boxing career Khan worked with most major promoters, including Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn and Ben Shalom in the UK as well as Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy and Al Haymon’s PBC in the US.
“From my own career I’ve learned so much. You take bits and bobs from each promoter,” Khan said. “I’ve learned my ideas and information I’ve picked up along the way.
“I’m going to be doing shows in the UK but felt Ghana would be a perfect start,” he added. “I want to keep on improving every time.”
