Path to Victory: Terence “Bud” Crawford
Written by Tony 9/12/25
How Bud Got Here
One of the best to ever do it? An incredible resume? In the pound-for-pound conversation for over a decade? It sounds like Canelo, but add a perfect 41-0 professional record, and now you’re talking about Terence “Bud” Crawford. He became undisputed at 140 pounds, then made history again by becoming the first man to stop Errol Spence Jr. in a title fight, collecting all four major belts at 147. And Crawford didn’t just beat Spence, who was considered one of the top fighters in the world, he dismantled him, scoring three knockdowns on the way to a dominant KO victory.
Before that, he ran through the likes of Jeff Horn, Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Jose Benavidez Jr., and Shawn Porter, becoming the first to stop Porter in his career. He even picked up a quick title at 154 by beating Israil Madrimov in 2024, checking off another weight class on his way up to a historic clash at 168 against Canelo.
What Makes Bud Great
Crawford might be the most complete fighter in the sport today. He’s equally dangerous in both stances — orthodox or southpaw. He can fight on the front foot or off the back foot, at range or in close quarters. He’s arguably the best switch-hitter boxing has ever seen, with a ring IQ that allows him to download data in real time and make razor-sharp adjustments on the fly.
His timing is elite. Bud doesn’t rely on high volume, he just needs to land clean. He reads opponents like a book, waiting for the smallest opening to land a perfectly timed counter.
Defensively, he’s tricky. Not flashy like Mayweather, but still effective. He uses subtle movement and distance to frustrate opponents, then strikes when the moment is right. And once he smells blood, Crawford is one of the sport’s most ruthless finishers.
The main question heading into this fight is the jump to 168 pounds, which is a massive leap from his most comfortable weight of 147. But while the size may be new, Crawford’s experience and intelligence in the ring are unmatched. This is a battle between two of boxing’s sharpest minds, which sets the stage for a high-level chess match.
How Bud Wins
To win, Crawford needs to weaponize his timing, footwork, and hope his speed carries up with him to the higher weight. Canelo is naturally bigger and stronger, but he can fade in the later rounds. If Bud can keep the fight at his preferred range early, use angles to disrupt Canelo’s rhythm, and avoid Canelo’s heavy body shots, the fight could begin to swing his way in the back half. A few sharp counters could shift the tone and force Canelo to reset. Crawford won’t throw a high volume, but the shots he lands can be clean and meaningful.
Canelo enters as the favorite, as he should be given the weight. But you can’t count out one of the most gifted fighters of this generation. It may not be flashy, and it might not win over casual fans, but keep an eye on Bud’s ring IQ, his precision and countering, and his ability to change looks throughout the fight.
What does this all mean? Crawford’s clearest path to victory is a methodical and tactical points decision.