Two-division world champion, Paulie Malignaggi, has had his say on a potential clash between undisputed super-middleweight champion, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and undisputed welterweight champion, Terence Crawford.
Crawford spectacularly dominated and knocked out his long-term rival, Errol Spence Jr, to become the 147lbs king and a two-weight undisputed champion last month, and ever since the bout he has been vocal of his intentions to replicate his success at a third weight-class.
There was talk that ‘Bud’ would step up to super-welterweight to face Jermell Charlo for the four 154lb belts, but those whispers turned silent once the WBO announced that Charlo would be stripped of his title, once he steps into the ring with Canelo, whom he fights at the end of this month.
Sensationally, Crawford then revealed his willingness to fight the winner of Canelo-Charlo for the four super-middleweight titles, despite having to jump up three weight-classes for the clash.
In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Malignaggi doubted the legitimacy of Crawford’s suggestions.
“I don’t know if that would really happen. We have seen some strange things in boxing, don’t get me wrong, especially in recent years, so I don’t say never say never but I don’t know how seriously that’s going to be taken.
I think that when you’re at a level, where you’re coming off of a big win like Crawford just did, anything that you say reverberates through the sport.”
However, if the fight were to happen, the fighter turned pundit is confident that the naturally bigger Mexican would come out on top.
“I think that he is too small, but then again I thought that he was too small for Spence, shows what I know! I think it’s a lot of weight-classes to jump, but we’ll see.”
Before talks of Canelo-Crawford can truly progress, Alvarez must first defeat Charlo on September 30.