Few people are better positioned to characterize the significance of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs Terence Crawford than International Boxing Hall of Famer Jim Lampley.

Lampley, the blow-by-blow commentator for HBO Boxing from 1988 to 2018, views Canelo-Crawford as a matchup pitting two of the best and smartest fighters of their era, and in each other, they’ll be standing across the ring from one of the few fighters who can match wits.

However, given the task Crawford faces in moving up two weight classes to face Canelo, Lampley believes the Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico native should be the rightful favorite heading into a clash giving the winner an overwhelming case as the generation's best.

“Two of the greatest and most intelligent people in the sport,” Lampley told The Ring. “You don't get to where they are without really having a thoughtful mind and an ability to see yourself pretty clearly. I think Canelo is matchless in terms of his self-awareness and his understanding of how to approach boxing. If there's anybody else in the sport who's on Canelo's level in those two areas, it's Terence Crawford.”

Lampley added: “It's a fantastic matchup, and I truly can't wait to see it. I love Crawford, but if you ask me to pick a favorite in that fight, there's no logic to picking somebody other than Canelo.”

DraftKings currently has Canelo as a -165 favorite and Crawford as a +135 underdog.

Canelo (63-2-2, 39 KOs) and Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) will meet for Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight titles on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, streamed worldwide on Netflix. Both look to win much more impressively compared to their last performances, Crawford edging a narrow unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov in August 2024, while Canelo outpointed William Scull in a dull affair on May 3 in Saudi Arabia.

There's no shortage of compelling storylines and question marks heading into the matchup between the four-division titleholders and two-time undisputed champions, though, the biggest is how Crawford, 37, will handle the trek up from 154 pounds to 168.

Despite the enormous jump in weight the Omaha, Nebraska native is making, Lampley’s longtime colleague and fellow International Boxing Hall of Famer, Larry Merchant, believes another one of iconic matchups, Ray Leonard vs Marvelous Marvin Hagler, is proof Crawford could emerge victorious against Canelo.

Leonard won a split decision against Hagler in April 1987.

“I asked the great Larry Merchant, my dear friend and longtime colleague, I said, ‘Larry, do you think that Terence Crawford has a chance to beat Canelo Alvarez? And Larry said, 'Jim, did Ray Leonard get an official decision against Marvelous Marvin Hagler? I said, ‘Yes, he did.’ He said, ‘Well, if Ray Leonard could get an official decision against Marvelous Marvin Hagler, then yes, there's a way for Crawford to beat Canelo.’

"If you use that as the paradigm, get in, get out, step in. Do damage, get out. Keep turning. Be at angles all the time. Never be straight in front of Canelo. Always be making Canelo shift side to side to find you, and win the energy battle. Have more energy, more focus, more engagement the whole fight [and] hope to frustrate Canelo.

"Leonard did all those things against Hagler, and he got the benefit of the doubt from the judges. If Crawford does all those things against Canelo, and he gets the benefit of the doubt from the judges, there's a chance.”

Canelo, 35, has gone 11-0 at super middleweight with four stoppage victories, the last of which came in November 2021 when he stopped Caleb Plant in the 11th round to become Mexico's first undisputed champion.

There’s no disputing the tall task that lies ahead for Crawford if he’s going to earn a legacy-defining victory over Canelo. Regardless of how things play out, Lampley has no doubt Crawford will be at his best, though, doubt still lingers over whether that will be enough.

“Terence is going to fight a great fight,” Lampley continued. “Does that mean he's going to win it? Not necessarily because he's in against a great fighter, but there's no question in my mind that Terence is going to show up, give his all.

Terence is going to be intelligent and calculated in what he does, bring all his boxing skills to the table. He'll try to hurt Canelo if he gets a chance here and there - fight a great fight - is he going to win? He's not the favorite, the favorite is Canelo."