Mike Tyson recently made his prediction for this weekend’s super-fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford, acknowledging there’s a difference between what he thinks will happen and what he wants to happen.
On Saturday (13 September), Crawford will challenge Canelo for the undisputed super-middleweight titles. If the unbeaten American can overcome the Mexican champion, he will become the first three-weight undisputed king of the modern era.
However, Tyson – who has now been confirmed for a 2026 exhibition fight against fellow boxing legend Floyd Mayweather – seemed to hint that Canelo’s size will be the defining factor.
While Canelo, 35, will be competing at his preferred weight this weekend, Crawford, 37, reaches 168lb for the first time. Thus far, Crawford’s career-highest weight has been 154lb, where he won a world title at a fourth weight last year.
“I want Crawford to win, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen,” Tyson recently said on The Big Podcast, hosted by basketball legend Shaquille Neal.
“I would like for it to happen, [but] this guy [Alvarez] is a hard puncher, he’s a smart fighter. I want to see it.”
Predictions within the boxing world have been split ahead of Saturday’s main event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Some predict that Canelo’s size will prove too much for Crawford, while others believe that the latter is technically superior and could use his speed and movement to outfox Alvarez.
Canelo is seen by many as the face of boxing, while some view Crawford as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world right now.
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Each man has held world titles at four weights. Furthermore, Canelo is a two-time undisputed champion at 168lb, while Crawford was previously undisputed at super-lightweight (140lb) and welterweight (147lb).
Tyson, 59, will have a size advantage of his own when he boxes fellow retiree Mayweather, 48, in an exhibition next year.
While Tyson is a former world heavyweight champion, the unbeaten Mayweather held world titles in five divisions – but at a highest weight of 154lb.
Tyson last fought in November, losing a professional fight with YouTuber Jake Paul, 28, on points. Meanwhile, Mayweather last boxed in August, going the distance in an exhibition with John Gotti III – the son and grandson of mafiosi Gotti II and Gotti I respectively.
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