The reality of Crawford's victory over Canelo explained in one minute

Crawford is chronologically older but Clenelo is clearly older in boxing years and Crawford has a lot more left than him. It's one of the main reasons I picked Crawford to win, along with the big size disparity being a complete myth, Crawford's much longer reach, and Clenelo not being able to deal with certain style.

The fact so many, even if they were still in the minority, were picking Crawford despite him jumping up 2 weights had a lot to do with how Clenelo has looked in recent years, going on a four year KO drought against cherrypicks, and people realizing the big size disparity was a complete myth after seeing how big Crawford was and in particular compared to Clenelo during the pre-fight H2Hs

SMW is a very weak division but I would put money on Iglesias not only beating Clenelo and Crawford but stopping them

 

Sounds to me as if you're simply trying to downplay the fact that Bud is the only active fighter with 2 victories against fellow Top 5-6(ish) P4P guys in recent years. I personally don't think there is much separating Crawford, Usyk, or Inoue. I do not believe we have had a clear unanimous P4P King since Floyd, it's always been more debatable with a lesser degree of consensus since his retirement. However, it's worth noting that both Ring Magazine and TBRB currenly list Crawford as the #1 P4P boxer in the world.

 

Canelo may have more mileage, but doesn't change the fact that the deck was still heavily stacked in his favor. And I know you have been consistent in your claims that Crawford is this huge big guy, but the fact remains, prior to Canelo, the biggest guy he had ever hit or been hit by was Madrimov.

Fair enough.

There were a lot of people predicting a Crawford victory. I wans't one of them. But he was still a clear underdog going in, and beating his second highly rated P4P opponent in his last 3 fights is an admirable and praiseworthy feat.

As far as Iglesias goes, maybe he could have also beaten, and perhaps stopped Canelo. But you're furthering my greater point here if he's the only name below 175 you think would beat the version of Canelo that Bud just beat.

 

Of course you have.

 

I scored it 116-112, and I did think it was competitive throughout much of the fight. I think Canelo was giving it his best in the 11th and 12th, even if he was a bit unimaginative. I just think Bud was a much better conditioned athlete in this one.

This was my post fight review if you are interested, shadow.

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I'm not sure I agree on the deck being heavily stacked in Clenelo's favour. It was in the US, with a US ref and 3 US judges, with 2 known massive Crawford fanboys doing commentary, 1 of whom a notorious Clenelo hater. Don't get me wrong, obviously A side privilege, a stacked deck, and corrupt judging are as synonymous with Clenelo as ginger hair but I don't think it was necessarily the case this time.

This is true but by the same token Crawford weighed more than career 154 Madrimov and the weight difference between him and Clenelo, if there even was one that is, would've been a few pounds IMO and I believe Crawford's longer reach was a much bigger factor. This version of Clenelo slings big overhand singles and you can see them coming, especially an elite fighter like Crawford who is faster and due to his longer reach is able to fight at a range outside of Clenelo's and was able to see them coming and evade or block them easily

As said it was an excellent win and Crawford is a great fighter but it was also a very favourable stylistic match up for him vs a version of Clenelo who has declined a lot in recent years. I was very confident of Crawford winning and it wouldn't have been that way if Clenelo had still been in his prime and was still knocking guys out.

Look at how other fighters have subsequently dealt with those cherrypicks Clenelo was unable to get out of there or struggled against, fighters who are far from elite.

Sheeraz knocking out Berlangy in his 168 debut

Complete featherfist Surace one punch icing Mung out

Mung bouncing Juan Ryder off the canvas like a yoyo and stopping him

Shishkin hurting Scull badly with a jab and almost getting him out of there

Plant getting dropped, and hurt multiple times by McCumby and almost getting stopped by him early.



No, Iglesias is just one fighter I not only believe would beat both I believe he stops both and neither will go anywhere near him


As said, 168 is a graveyard division and so is 160 and both have been for years. That's why there aren't too many names we can think of. They are absolute wasteland divisions at the moment but Iglesias, Janibek, Sheeraz, Mbilli, Martinez, Bek the Bully are some of the top of my head who I think could beat this version of Clenelo or I would give a decent chance and there are a few prospects at 160 who look promising but they've not had many fights yet

 

Fair enough. Everyone has their own opinions!

I do find it more than a bit bizarre that anyone would place Lomachenko on the same level as someone truly elite like Usyk. Usyk is clearly on a higher level than him, as are others in the post-Floyd era. But again, that's just my opinion.