ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Undefeated champion Terence “Bud” Crawford has been making the media rounds ahead of his potential fight of the century vs. Saul “Canelo” Álvarez inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 13.
So far, Bud has traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to kick off the press tour, before visiting New York and Vegas to sell the mega fight.
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Along the way, Crawford has spoken with former Michigan Wolverines football quarterback Tom Brady, who just so happens to own a stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.
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On Thursday (July 17), the current WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion took time out of his training camp to visit the Rich Eisen show in Los Angeles, California, to talk about the megafight.
Like Brady, Eisen is a University of Michigan alumnus who loves his school to the fullest, but he wasn’t in town during Crawford’s visit.
Instead, it was former WWE champion Seth Rollins filling in the hot seat as he and Crawford discussed being part of the same company, while also encountering each other at WrestleMania 41 this past April for the two-night event.
“I went for both nights, and you know, it was great to actually be in their arena and actually get to see everything and just visualize myself fighting in that arena,” said Crawford. “It was a good experience.”
WWE joined forces with Zuffa, the parent company of UFC, in September 2023 to form TKO, which is now promoting the fight.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has been instrumental in bringing these megafights together, as he has invested heavily in the sport of boxing.
He’s brought some of the biggest fights to Saudi Arabia and secured deals with major promoters and fighters in recent years.
He said he aims to revitalize the sport of boxing by arranging fights that were previously difficult to make and by fostering a more collaborative environment among promoters.
Alalshikh has partnered with TKO Group Holdings (which includes UFC and WWE) to create a new boxing promotion, with Dana White and Nick Khan leading the executive team, which is why he was featured heavily during Friday’s press conference.
Alalshikh had numerous options to showcase this mega-fight, but he chose Netflix, which now airs Monday Night Raw globally.
“I’ve been watching WWF since I was little. My childhood favorite was the Undertaker,” Bud said.
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) June 19, 2025
Crawford and Rollins have been well acquainted with one another, sharing a common Midwestern heritage, with each being from Nebraska and Iowa, respectively.
From Omaha to Colorado Springs: Training at altitude
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford remains a Midwestern boy at heart.
Currently training in Colorado Springs, Bud emphasized the importance of altitude training for his cardio preparation.
“We already had our first workout of the day,” Crawford said. “It’s all about working, recovering, eating, and resting.”
Bud has been training at altitude since 2013, even before becoming a world champion. “We’re used to it by now,” Crawford said.
Mental focus is key to success
Crawford highlighted the mental challenges of training away from family and familiar surroundings.
“Once we get to Colorado, it’s all business,” Crawford said.
The mental preparation, he explained, goes hand in hand with physical training.
Undefeated streak and underdog mindset
With a professional record untouched by defeat, Crawford has not lost a fight in nearly 20 years.
His last loss came at the 2007 Olympic trials as an amateur.
Despite his record, Crawford approaches every fight as if he is the underdog.
“I could be the favorite, but in my mind, I’m the underdog,” Crawford said. “I’m going in there to prove a point.”
This mindset gives him a mental edge, especially when facing a popular opponent in a higher weight class.
“In my mind, I’m already down two rounds,” Crawford said. “I got to make up for those two rounds with the work I put in.”
Moving up in weight class
The fight with Álvarez marks Crawford’s first time competing at a higher weight class.
He welcomes the change, appreciating the ability to eat more and avoid drastic weight cuts.
“I think it will benefit me come fight night,” Crawford said.
Humble champion reflects on boxing greats
Despite his success, Crawford remains humble about his place in boxing history when asked if he was the greatest boxer of all time.
“No, not the greatest of all time,” Crawford said. “That’s Muhammad Ali’s spot. I do think I am the best right now, but Ali is the greatest.”
Bud cited legendary fighters such as Ali, Grand Rapids native Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roy Jones Jr., Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, and Marvin Hagler as inspirations.
Early start and love for boxing
Crawford began boxing at age seven after a gym owner approached him near his grandmother’s house.
“I started boxing at seven years old, not knowing that my dad and my uncles and my grandpa used to box. So, the owner of the gym actually lived behind my grandma’s house and stopped me one day to ask if I was interested in boxing. And you know, he came to my house and said, ‘What’s up?’ to my mom. Then while I’m in the middle of telling her that some guy in the van was trying to talk to me, you know, like, ‘Oh yeah, your dad used to box for him.’ And the rest is history,” Crawford said.
Prediction for fight night
Bud said the bout with Álvarez will be the biggest fight of his career, and when asked about a prediction for the fight, he gave what an undefeated boxing champion would be expected to say confidently.
“A victory,” Bud said.
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