Terence Crawford Expects Motivated Canelo Against Mbilli

Crawford believes Canelo will try to prove himself after losing his titles and suffering the final defeat of his career

Terence Crawford expects a highly motivated Canelo Alvarez when the former undisputed champion faces Christian Mbilli on September 12 in Saudi Arabia. Crawford believes Canelo will be determined to show he remains among boxing’s best after the defeat that ended his reign at the top of the super middleweight division.

Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) will challenge WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) in Saudi Arabia as he attempts to regain a world title at 168 pounds. Crawford expects the Mexican star to return with a strong performance after seeing his long reign at the top come to an end.

“It’s going to be a great fight,” said Crawford to DAZN. “Mbilli puts on a lot of pressure. Canelo is going to show what type of shape he’s in. Canelo is an all-time great, and I am looking forward to seeing how he bounces back. I am excited to watch the fight.

“Knowing Canelo, he doesn’t want to end his career on a loss. I can see Canelo wanting to come back and prove himself and be that champion and leave on his own terms.”

Mbilli was elevated to full WBC champion after the sanctioning body stripped Crawford of the undisputed championship shortly before the Nebraska native announced his retirement.

The unbeaten French-based contender makes the first defense of his title against one of the biggest names in boxing, but oddsmakers have already installed Canelo as a sizeable favorite heading into the September showdown.

Crawford retired after defeating Canelo last September, ending his career unbeaten and becoming one of the few fighters to leave the sport on top. While he no longer has a stake in the super middleweight division, he believes Alvarez still has plenty left to offer despite the loss.

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