Terence Crawford is known as one of the most prolific switch hitters of his era, but the three-division titlist and undisputed welterweight champion is now switching his stance on a potential super fight versus Canelo Alvarez. 

The Nebraska native Crawford (40-0. 31 KOs) recently stated the only way he could consider a fight with Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) was if it took place at a catchweight between 158 and 160 pounds. 

The undisputed super middleweight champion Alvarez immediately rejected the thought of a catchweight clash. 

Alvarez last competed at 160 pounds in 2019 when he scored a unanimous decision win against Daniel Jacobs, and he’s twice since even competed at 175 pounds in between his 168 pound reign. 

In an interview with Joe Rogan, Crawford clarified that he’d entertain stepping up from 147 to 168 pounds in order to face Alvarez. 

“No, 168. Yeah [I want to move up to super middleweight]. Yeah, if [Alvarez beats Jermell Charlo on Sept. 30]. Yeah. Or Charlo. The winner. I want to be a three-time undisputed [champion],” said Crawford. 

“I know I want to fight Jermell. But if he loses to Canelo, I always say, man. That's a big step. That's a big step but for a person to go up three weight classes from 147 to 168, and to win, and to become undisputed, wow.”

Shortly after the interview aired on Friday, Crawford wrote on social media that "skills always paid the bills, not size remember that."

A Crawford-Alvarez clash could be a possibility if both parties are serious around a slugfest at an agreed upon weight. 

Alvarez signed a three-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions earlier this year, and Crawford is a free agent who’s now affiliated with PBC ever since his last fight with Errol Spence Jr. – a dominant ninth-round stoppage win in July. 

Spence has the right to call for a rematch, one that has not officially been made yet. 

Both Spence and Crawford have been open to fighting the rematch at 154 pounds, but Crawford will ultimately be in the driver's seat and call the shot at which weight class a potential sequel would take place at. 

Crawford has been eyeing a showdown with Charlo at 154 pounds and doubled down on the notion with a serious callout of Charlo in the middle of the Spence fight. 

After the win, Alvarez – who predicted that Bud would win – called Crawford “a f------ great fighter.”

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.