Shawn Porter says Terence Crawford bulked up the right way ahead of Canelo clash

Terence Crawford has rebuilt his physique ahead of Saturday’s fight with Canelo Alvarez, his closest training partner Shawn Porter said, adding that the Omaha native’s roughly 10-kilogram weight gain is muscle and has been integrated with careful strength work and nutrition.

Crawford, 37, is stepping up two full weight classes to meet Alvarez at super-middleweight (168 pounds) in Las Vegas, a move that has drawn scrutiny about whether he can carry power and durability at the higher limit. Porter, who lost to Crawford in 2021 and has since trained with him, told reporters that the change has been deliberate and methodical.

"Most boxers don't lift weights, that's kind of the no-no in boxing," Porter said. "But when you're putting on weight, it has to be muscle. You can't put on fat, you can't put on anything sluggish. The best thing a fighter can do is hit the weights, up the protein. I saw the man eat — he's eating brilliantly, doing it all right. It takes a good two years to successfully put on 10 pounds and get your body to acclimate. So when people talk about him being inactive for 13 months, they have to understand he's been training for this night against Canelo."

Porter added that Crawford's added mass is distributed across his legs, arms and shoulders rather than concentrated at the bottom of his frame, and that the weight appears to have been placed "where it counts — chest, abs, arms." Those observations aim to counter the view that Crawford might be slowed or rendered less effective by the jump in weight.

Crawford's last outing, a points victory over Israil Madrimov in August 2024, prompted questions about his mobility and tactical sharpness after an extended layoff. Porter said Crawford recognised the issues himself, telling other fighters he needed to "get back to boxing" and restore the lateral movement and footwork that have been hallmarks of his career.

"Against Madrimov, I think the style surprised him on the night, but once he figured it out, he got the victory," Porter said. "When we spoke, he said he just didn't care in that fight. This is the fight where he has to care. He knows it's not going to be one punch. It's going to be a round-by-round fight, the kind he hasn't been in for a very long time."

The stakes are high. If Crawford dethrones Alvarez, he would become the first male fighter in the four-belt era to be undisputed in three different weight divisions, a feat that would further elevate his standing among the sport's elite. Alvarez, 35, remains boxing's most bankable attraction and a long-established force at 168 pounds, undefeated by stoppage over a career that spans nearly 70 professional fights.

Porter said Crawford's unusual delivery — a whipping, snapping motion that turns punches over for precision — could present a problem for Alvarez. "His delivery is unique. Some of his punches have this whipping action. He turns them over so they land just right, and he has the accuracy too. If anything is going to get Canelo's attention, that's it. I believe he has what it takes to stop him," Porter said.

Porter also suggested Alvarez shows signs of gradual decline after a lengthy career. "Almost 70 fights… it's impossible to be the same as you were when you had 50. Respectfully, it's impossible. Canelo used to be an A-plus fighter. Now he's an A-minus. Still better than 98 percent of fighters, but if you have trained eyes, you can see it," Porter said.

With an anticipated crowd of more than 60,000 at Allegiant Stadium and global attention focused on the matchup, both fighters enter a high-stakes night. Porter, who remains friendly with Crawford despite their 2021 bout ending in a stoppage, said he has seen the work behind the scenes and is confident Crawford has prepared properly for the physical demands of moving up.

"He's done it the right way," Porter said. "The weight is all muscle. He's prepared for this moment."