Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford have boxing experts and insiders split on what will happen when they face up on September 13.

Alvarez will put his undisputed super middleweight title on the line against Crawford on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas; the telecast will stream live on Netflix. 

His transition to blockbuster star began with his September 2012 knockout win over Josesito Lopez at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He was the WBC 154lbs champion at the time and has since claimed major titles at middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. 

The 35-year-old star from Guadalajara, Mexico, is a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. He reclaimed the IBF title earlier this year in a lackluster unanimous decision win over William Scull.

The major benefit from the fight was that it set the stage for Crawford to attempt to become a three-division undisputed champion. 

Crawford, who held a title at lightweight, was an undisputed champion at junior welterweight and welterweight, and most recently won a strap at 154lbs, will make his bid to become a five-division world champion. Crawford enters unbeaten – 41-0 (31 KOs) – and is the fighting pride of Omaha, Nebraska. 

Now 37, Crawford will look to silence doubters like he did when he faced Errol Spence Jnr for the undisputed crown two summers ago. 

This time, he will move up two weight classes - but essentially three since he had only one fight at junior middleweight, when he won the WBA title against Israil Madrimov. 

Crawford remains among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, with arguments made for only Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue as his superior in that conversation. 

Alvarez remains in most top ten lists, but more towards the lower end these days.

Their place among the sport’s current elite fighters is what has left so many boxing experts torn. 

We started with one of the best minds in boxing and a Hall of Fame matchmaker. 

Bruce Trampler, along with matchmaker Brad Goodman, helped get Crawford to the point of being a three-division world champion during Crawford’s time at Top Rank.

“Honestly, no bullshit, too hard for me to pick,” Trampler told BoxingScene via text when asked about the fight. “I could argue the case for either side. Whoever wins, I won’t be surprised. I really look forward to watching it play out.”

Similarly, Robert Diaz played an integral role in Alvarez’s career during the boxer’s time at Golden Boy Promotions through 2010. 

Diaz was the company’s executive matchmaker and helped build Alvarez into the star he is. He compares this fight to mega-fights of the past, such as a bout between “Sugar” Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran.

“This is a throwback to those types of fights,” Diaz told BoxingScene. “When you are a generational great, weight is never an issue. Manny Pacquiao went up many weight classes. Floyd Mayweather went up many weight classes; Oscar De La Hoya went up many weight classes.”

Diaz believes both fighters have moved up in weight and defied the norms of what many thought was possible. 

Unlike many, he doesn’t believe weight will be a factor. Diaz compares Crawford to Marvin Hagler in his ability to fight both orthodox and southpaw and mentality in the ring. 

“It will be interesting to see in the first half who can impose their will,” Diaz said. “Is Canelo too big? Will he hurt Crawford? Is Crawford going to sit there and try to gain Canelo’s respect? The first half will tell us a lot.

“We will be talking about [the fight] for years, probably will want to see a rematch once it is over. In the end, I don’t see a bigger man beating a smaller man. I see a better fighter beating a great fighter. Canelo by 10th or 11th TKO as the corner stops the fight.”

Matchmaker Alex Camponovo shared his perspective on the card. 

“I think speed is going to matter, age is going to matter, weight doesn’t to me,” Camponovo told BoxingScene. “I would be inclined to say Crawford has a little bit of an edge.

“I don’t know how much he can get hurt or how much he can hurt Canelo,” Camponovo said. “I think because of his age and his mobility, Crawford can do very well in this fight.”

Camponovo also spoke on the match-up that he finds interesting.

“It is fascinating to see Canelo taking on this challenge,” Camponovo said. “Crawford is a very interesting pick. He is not a guy who is easy to fight, he is probably one of the best fighters in the world. I don’t care what division he is in.”

Cutman Mike Rodriguez will be working on the undercard as part of Callum Walsh's corner when Walsh faces off against unbeaten Fernando Vargas Jr. “The Crime Fighting Cutman,” Rodriguez, offered his insight on what he thinks could play a factor in the fight. 

“Terence Crawford is shooting to be even greater than he already is, and although he is going up in weight, I think the size differential at face value is not as big as it appears,” Rodriguez told BoxingScene. “The key for me will be if carrying that weight influences Crawford's conditioning and ability to take Canelo’s punches.”

The key matchup within the matchup, according to one of the sport’s top cutmen, could come down to Crawford’s superior technical ability versus Alvarez’s clean punching.

“Canelo is able to land crisp, clear eye-catching punches that judges like,” Rodriguez said. “My hope is that the judges don’t already have a confirmation bias on who they think is supposed to win, Oftentimes, those close rounds where there isn’t much to choose from, Canelo historically has received the nod.”

Then there is Rodriguez’s expertise, which is working a cut in the corner. When asked how that could impact the fight, he shared his thoughts. 

“Neither fighter has been challenged in their career with significant facial trauma or a cut,” Rodriguez said. “Eddy Reynoso usually pulls double duty with cuts, and Team Crawford uses a doctor who sits as the fourth cornerman; however, he rarely ever goes up on the apron to address anything.”

Boxing trainer John Pullman echoed the thoughts of many, as he is looking for two things in the fight. 

“I want to see how Canelo’s punches impact Crawford,” Pullman told BoxingScene. “And if Crawford’s punches have any effect on Canelo. Canelo has more margin of error to win.”

Then, we reached out to former sparring partners of both fighters. We started with junior welterweight Stan Martyniouk, who did multiple camps with Crawford, but most notably helped him prepare for Amir Khan in 2019. Martyniouk shared his insight, downplaying any size difference. 

“I believe this is gonna be a good, smart tactical fight,” Martyniouk told BoxingScene. “I don’t think Crawford is a small fighter. He’s always been big.”

Martyniouk gave the slight edge to Crawford based on his intelligence.Super middleweight Ronald Ellis, on the other hand, has sparred Alvarez in various training camps. He gives a perspective as someone who has gone rounds with Alvarez. 

“It’s going to be one hell of a fight,” Ronald Ellis told BoxingScene.  “Crawford has all the skills and athleticism, but they’re weight classes for a reason. If Crawford can take the power, it’s going to be an epic night. Either way, the fans are the real winners.”

Shane Mosley Jnr fights in the super middleweight division and has his most consequential fight of his career on October 25 for the WBC interim middleweight title. Mosley gave his thoughts on this fight from a fighter actively pursuing fights with the best in the division. 

“I would lean more towards Canelo, and that is purely because he has been at this level, the biggest events in boxing history, and he has consistently risen to the occasion; only two times he has ever faltered,” Mosley Jnr said. “In this moment, it is inches, it is centimeters, it is very little details, and he has been there before. I think he gets up for this fight and for what it does for his legacy, because he doesn’t want Crawford to outshine him.”

Mosley referenced that they both have power. They both are talented, but noted that Alvarez has shown that he doesn’t cut off the ring against William Scull in May. Mosley also references that Scull is bigger than Crawford. 

“If I were a betting man, I’d pick Canelo, but my heart wants Bud to win,” Mosley said. “It would be so cool to see Bud pull this off, and he would be able to be in the conversation to be one of the greatest of all time.”

Mosley brings up the point that if Crawford were to win, he would potentially enter the conversation with boxing royalty like “Sugar” Ray Robinson. Mosley also believes Crawford has to fight nearly perfectly. 

“This is what fight fans and fighters love, you’re not supposed to win, but you did it,” Mosley said if Crawford were to win. “That is what I want [to happen], but everything leans towards Canelo.”

Da’Velle Smith, an up-and-comer signed to Salita Promotions, recently moved up to the super middleweight division. He offered his insight from the perspective of a prospect. 

“This is going to be one of the most interesting fights I have ever watched,” Smith told BoxingScene. “It could be a lesson learned for everyone wanting to go up two weight divisions, or it could show the world the smarter, more intelligent fighter is better than the heavy-hitting fighter.”

Smith fights on September 19 in Detroit, and spoke to his anticipation of the fight, a week before his next bout. Smith captures the excitement we all have. Whether you are rooting for a good fight, or one of the fighters, his eagerness speaks to the fight itself. 

“I am nervous for Crawford, I want him to win a lot,” Smith said. “It is not just moving up two weight divisions to fight some guy; it is moving up two weight divisions to fight Canelo. It is the other face of boxing.” 

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.