Ex-world champion Kelly Pavlik offered blunt advice to Terence Crawford ahead of his potential clash with Canelo Alvarez, insisting ‘Bud’ has to jump on the Mexican superstar from the opening bell.
The former titlist, speaking on how Crawford can upset the odds, believes Canelo’s notorious stamina dip in the later rounds is the key to victory, but only if Crawford forces the issue early.
“Stay in Canelo’s a** early on. Put Canelo behind, even if it’s three out of the first four rounds,” Pavlik told Fight Hub TV.
“Because when Canelo has to fight, when Canelo has to step it up, after seven rounds, he starts to fade a little bit.
“We’ve seen that with Bivol, we’ve seen it in a lot of Canelo’s fights, even with GGG.”
Crawford’s dilemma
Pavlik added, “When Canelo can control the fight and dictate the ring generalship, then yeah, he can go twelve rounds pretty good.
“But when Canelo gets pushed early in the fight, he starts to fade muscle-endurance-wise. So if I were Crawford, I would kind of stay in his a** in the early rounds and make him play catch-up in rounds three, four, and five. Then by round seven, you can really step it up.”
Crawford, already undisputed at welterweight and junior welterweight, faces a massive size and strength disadvantage against the four-weight Mexican icon. But the ex-champ argues the Omaha pound-for-pound king must rely on discipline, speed, and consistent pressure to drag Canelo into deep water.
The strategy mirrors Dmitry Bivol’s 2022 blueprint, where the Russian kept Alvarez under constant duress, banking early rounds before dominating the championship stages.
Why early rounds matter
Canelo has historically shown signs of fatigue when forced out of his rhythm. Against Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy and in losses to Floyd Mayweather and Bivol, the Jalisco fighter looked most vulnerable when opponents disrupted his pace in the opening half of the fight.
Crawford, known for his elite fight IQ and adaptability, would therefore need to gamble early rather than allow Canelo to dictate a slow, measured pace.
With the fight only weeks away, Crawford’s potential tactics are already under the microscope.
If this advice proves correct, fans could be in for a high-risk, high-reward spectacle.
About the Author
Phil Jay is a veteran boxing journalist with over 15 years of experience covering the global fight scene. As Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010, Jay has interviewed dozens of world champions and reported ringside on boxing’s biggest nights. [View all articles by Phil Jay] and learn more about his work in combat sports journalism.