Óscar De La Hoya Analyzes Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford and Shares His Prediction

Óscar De La Hoya, a Hall of Fame boxer and now promoter, shared his analysis of the Canelo Álvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight, set for this Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. While it’s no secret that his relationship with Canelo has been strained for years, the former boxer didn’t hesitate to give his prediction for one of the most anticipated fights of 2025.

“Everyone’s excited; you can feel the electricity in the air. It’s going to be a great fight. I’ll tell you why: Crawford is moving up two weight classes and coming off a year of inactivity. That’s a huge advantage for Canelo,” he commented in a prediction posted to his Instagram account.

“If he can impose his will—likely weighing around 190 pounds on fight night—I give him a strong chance to knock out Crawford between rounds seven and ten. If he doesn’t, then Crawford will give him a boxing lesson. It could be another Mayweather vs. Canelo, when Floyd made him look bad. That could happen again this Saturday,” he added.

De La Hoya believes that for Crawford to have a chance at winning, he’ll need to execute a perfect fight:

“He has to use his footwork, speed, combinations, and ring intelligence. He must stay disciplined. For Canelo, the key is to withstand Crawford’s punches. But he can’t get comfortable, because if he does, the 12 rounds will fly by. Canelo doesn’t handle boxers well; that’s the problem—he’s flat-footed. On the other hand, Crawford’s flaw could be his heart and desire to exchange blows. If Canelo lands a punch, Crawford is going down. He’ll get knocked out. I see a close decision for Crawford if the fight goes to the scorecards, or a late knockout for Canelo.”

Canelo Álvarez Favored in Betting Odds Against Terence Crawford

The betting odds for Canelo vs. Crawford reflect how close the fight is expected to be. DraftKings lists the undisputed super middleweight champion as the favorite at -165 (down from -185 the previous week).

Crawford, meanwhile, is the underdog at +135. The over/under line is set at 10.5 rounds, with Álvarez winning by stoppage at +380 and Crawford winning by decision at +200.