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LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Terence “Bud” Crawford jumped two weight classes to set a career high on the scales at Friday’s weigh-in ahead of his super middleweight bout against Mexican superstar Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez. Both fighters weighed in at 167.5 pounds and met all the requirements for a fight that pits two of today’s best pound-for-pound boxers against each other.

Bud and Canelo face off Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (6 p.m., Netflix) in a clash that will define their legacies, test Crawford’s undefeated status and determine supremacy in the sport.

For Álvarez, who will celebrate 20 years in the sport in October and compete in his 21st fight in Las Vegas when he faces Crawford, the weigh-in was business as usual for a Mexican star accustomed to competing in the super middleweight class and higher.

Crawford arrived in the same physical condition as the undisputed champion, reflecting the seriousness of his preparation in pursuit of the four belts held by the Jalisco native, as well as a bonus from the World Boxing Council (WBC), which will award a special ring to the winner of the fight.

Terence “Bud” Crawford extends his arms and during a news conference at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday in Las Vegas.

(David Becker / Getty Images for Netflix)

“I think people completely underestimate me, but that doesn’t matter,” Crawford said. “We have to fight here on Saturday, and all the answers will be resolved that night.”

The fighters participated in news conferences during the week that served as a barometer for the atmosphere in Las Vegas, where Álvarez is expected to draw a rowdy crowd during Mexican Independence Day weekend.

“I feel great. For me, this fight means a lot. I’m looking forward to Saturday night,” Álvarez said. “This fight is very important to me. It’s one of the most important fights of my career. … This victory will be one of the most important.”

Álvarez acknowledged Crawford’s physique, with his challenger surprising observers with more defined muscles after gaining weight.

“For me, muscles mean nothing,” Álvarez said. “I’ve fought bigger fighters before and they mean nothing… When I saw that he had a good training camp, I was happy because it was going to be a good fight.”

For his part, Crawford was confident and defiant.

“I feel great. I’m ready to get started. To surprise the world,” said the American, who reacted to social media comments about his physical transformation. “A lot of people are going overboard with that. ‘Oh, he’s slow, he’s got too much muscle.’ I just want to fight.”

At this crossroads, two fighters with different backgrounds meet. Both have been undisputed champions in different divisions and both have enough experience to handle the pressure of a big night. But there are differences that could tip the scales.

Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford face off onstage during news conference at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday in Las Vegas.

(David Becker / Getty Images for Netflix)

Álvarez is a fighter accustomed to the higher divisions. He has fought in light heavyweight and has faced physically superior opponents.

His style is orthodox, with a great ability to cut off the ring, wear down his opponents and land powerful punches that can define fights. He has the ability to adapt, read his opponents and subdue them with a combination of technique, power and tactical discipline.

Crawford comes from the opposite camp. His career has been built in lighter weight classes, dominating as a welterweight and lightweight, with a style based on mobility, variety of angles and intelligence in the ring. He is a natural southpaw, although he often switches stances, and has never tasted defeat as a professional.

With 41 victories, 31 of them by knockout, Crawford brings with him an impeccable record, but he will have to prove whether that power remains intact against a heavier and more resilient opponent such as Álvarez.

Crawford has had to deal with criticism about his previous opponents, as he has been accused of facing lower-quality fighters. “Anyone can be a nobody. And from what they say, I haven’t fought anyone,” he said.

The question is how Crawford will adapt to this new weight class. The increase in muscle could take away his speed, one of his most lethal weapons, or sap his endurance during long rounds.

For Álvarez, the advantage lies in familiarity, as he knows how to manage his body during a fight at 168 pounds, knows how to manage energy and knows how to punish an opponent who is entering unknown territory.

Many point to age as a factor that could affect both fighters during the bout.

At 35, Álvarez is still in a competitive range where he retains power, endurance and reflexes, although perhaps with less spark than in his 20s. His style does not depend so much on explosive speed, but rather on experience and the progressive wear and tear of his opponent. That works in his favor.

Although Álvarez has promised a knockout, in his recent fights, he has been unable to deliver knockouts and is unlikely to do so against Crawford.

“I’m going to give it my all in this fight and you’re going to see all my qualities,” Álvarez said. “It’s very difficult to say [which round I’ll knock him out], but I’m preparing for anything and I have one of the best fighters facing one of the best as well.”

At 37, Crawford is nearing the end of his physical prime. Boxers who base much of their style on speed, mobility and reflexes tend to feel the passage of time sooner. Crawford still looks fast, but his reflexes are probably not exactly what they were four or five years ago.

The fight, then, is shaping up to be a duel of styles and contexts. If Crawford manages to impose distance and take advantage of his mobility, he can turn the night into an exercise in frustration for Álvarez. If the Mexican manages to close the ring, press with body shots and wear Crawford down from the early rounds, the fight could swing in his corner.

Beyond the technical analysis, motivation plays a key role. Álvarez, with more than 60 professional fights, seeks to reaffirm his place in history as one of the great champions of Mexico and the world.

Crawford, meanwhile, wants to be the first male boxer in the four-belt era to become the undisputed champion in three different divisions.

Both know they are in the final stretch of their careers, which makes this fight an almost unrepeatable event. A defeat for either of them does not mean the end, but it would leave a mark on their records that would be difficult to erase.

When asked about fighting at Allegiant Stadium, home to the NFL’s Raiders, Crawford took a moment to emphasize the value of an event of this magnitude.

“Fights like this help boxing grow … the best fight,” he said. “… It’s only going to improve the sport.”

Undercard adds intrigue

Undefeated junior middleweight boxers Callum Walsh, left, and Fernando Vargas Jr., right, face off during a news conference at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday in Las Vegas while UFC’s Dana White looks on.

(Steve Marcus / Getty Images)

Saturday night’s fireworks aren’t limited to the main event. The rest of the card also is generating interest.

Undefeated super middleweight Christian Mbilli will face Guatemala’s Lester Martinez in a clash that promises to be intense.

Mbilli, who is hungry to establish himself in the division, said he feels he is in the best shape of his career and intends to go for a knockout. Martínez, for his part, has repeatedly said that he is not here to be a stepping stone for anyone and will take advantage of the platform to make a statement.

Another attraction is the clash between Callum Walsh and Fernando Vargas Jr., son of former world champion Fernando Vargas. Walsh, considered one of the promising young talents of Irish boxing, has said he will bring his technical and disciplined boxing style to the ring.

“Nothing compares to this weekend,” Walsh said. “It’s going to be a good fight. … None of us want to lose. It’s rare to see a fight like this in boxing: two young, undefeated boxers. Boxing needs more of this.”

Vargas said he is not intimidated and promised to prove that he belongs at this level of competition.

“He comes in as the favorite. … It’s something that excites me, something I’ve never felt before,” Vargas said. “Having my back against the wall. … You don’t see fighters putting their records on the line, 17-0 and 14-0, on a stage as big as this. These are the fights that make great fighters.”

Weigh-in results

MAIN CARD

Super middleweight: Canelo Álvarez (167.5 lbs) vs. Terence Crawford (167.5 lbs)

Super welterweight: Callum Walsh (153.5 lbs) vs. Fernando Vargas Jr. (153 lbs)

Super middleweight: Christian Mbilli (167 lbs) vs. Lester Martínez (167 lbs)

Lightweight: Mohammed Alakel (132 lbs) vs. Travis Crawford (132.5 lbs)

PRELIMS

Middleweight: Serhii Bohachuk (155 lbs) vs. Brandon Adams (156 lbs)

Heavyweight: Ivan Dychko (239.5 lbs) vs. Jermaine Franklin Jr. (256 lbs)

Super featherweight: Reito Tsutsumi (129.5 lbs) vs. Javier Martínez (129.5 lbs)

Super lightweight: Sultan Almohammed (132.5 lbs) vs. Martín Caraballo (133 lbs)

Light heavyweight: Steven Nelson (171.5 lbs) vs Raiko Santana (171.5 lbs)

Super middleweight: Marco Verde (158 lbs) vs. Sona Akale (159.5 lbs)

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

While Julio César Chávez Jr.’s name and lineage evoke history, discipline and glory, Jake Paul’s name is linked to a modern phenomenon that has challenged the traditional codes of boxing.

Paul’s arrival in the boxing spotlight was not by conventional means and although his bout with Chávez may appear to be a marketing spectacle, both fighters could benefit from a win.

At age 39 with 61 professional fights (54-6-1, 34 KOs), Chávez returns to the to the Honda Center in Anaheim Saturday to face Paul, offering pre-fight speeches that mix confidence, maturity and a sense of duty. Away from the show, the Mexican says he focused on serious and deep preparation.

“We are preparing to the fullest, thoroughly, to arrive better than ever physically, well-focused. We have to be 100% for the fight,” Chávez told L.A. Times en Español, making it clear that this is not just another adventure, but a fight that could open up more opportunities.

Jake Paul, left, and Julio César Chávez Jr. will face off at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday.

(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)

The son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez Sr., he knows that many see him as the last stepping stone to catapult Paul into boxing legitimacy, but he doesn’t share that view.

“He’s not going to beat me. I’m a better boxer than him,” Julio César Chávez Jr. said.

The endorsement he received from Mexican boxing star Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez was interpreted as a vote of confidence in his ability.

“It’s important to listen to him,” Chávez said. “I think Canelo knows I’m the better boxer than Jake Paul. … We’re going to hit him hard.”

Paul said if he defeats Chávez, it will close the door on the Mexican fighter’s comeback after a stint in rehab.

“He’s going to retire,” Paul said.

He dismissed Álvarez’s endorsement of his opponent.

“It’s definitely a sign of respect from Canelo, but he showed me the utmost respect by turning down $100 million not to fight me,” Paul said, alluding to a potential fight against Álvarez that was being negotiated as recently as May before the Mexican star chose another opponent. “He knows it’s not an easy fight.”

With a dozen fights under his belt, Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) has been consistently criticized for facing weaker opponents, with the latest one raising strong suspicions that opponents accept limitations that favor Paul.

In November 2024, Paul faced aging legend Mike Tyson, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. Critics on social media immediately took issue with both fighters. There were moments it appeared Tyson could have finished Paul, but then seemed to back off and avoid throwing crucial punches.

Chávez made it clear that this fight is not part of a setup nor does it have an agreed script.

“I don’t lend myself to that kind of thing,” Chávez said. “The fight is normal and that’s all I can tell you.”

For the Mexican fighter, this bout represents something more than a purse or a chance to gain viral fame.

Jake Paul, left, and Julio César Chávez Jr. taunt each other following a weigh-in ahead of their cruiserweight boxing match Friday in Anaheim.

(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)

“It’s like an activation,” he said. “There is the opportunity to fight for the world championship, even a rematch with Canelo.”

And while some have suggested that a Chávez loss would mean the end of his career, he dismisses that emphatically,

“It hasn’t crossed my mind, I’m not going to lose,” he said. “I’m thinking about winning and having a few fights after that.”

Paul, for his part, has made controversy a promotional tool, but he has also sought, in his words, to make it clear that his ambition is serious.

In response to rumors potential opponents canceled before the fight with Chávez was finalized, Paul explained that “a cowardly Mexican was afraid to fight me. … Another great boxer did not deliver. We talked to [influencer and boxer] KSI, Tommy Fury… That led us to Chávez and to keep on the path of facing real opponents, former world champions and remain active on my way to becoming world champion.”

Paul, as is his custom, did not miss the opportunity to psychologically attack his rival. This time, he pointed to the symbolic weight of the Chávez surname.

“It’s added pressure for Chávez Jr., he doesn’t handle pressure well,” Paul said. “… His dad wants this for his son, more than his son wants it. That can create a lot of problems and insecurities that I’m going to expose.”

Paul defends his history as a self-taught boxer who came to change the rules of the game.

“I never wanted the respect. It’s about proving myself, creating one of the best sports stories to inspire the next generation,” he said. “Without me, boxing would be dead.”

For Paul, the bout is another step in his attempt to silence the purists and reassert himself as more than a YouTube celebrity with gloves. For Chávez, it represents a chance to reclaim his lost place, to prove that his lineage is not just a family name but legitimate talent.

Boxers Jake Paul and Julio César Chávez Jr. attend a news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles on May 14.

(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

“I’m not worried, I’m preparing to win … I grabbed the fight because I’m going to win it,” Chávez insisted, downplaying any risks.

In the face of the doubts surrounding the showdowns, both fighters assured fans will see a real fight on Saturday.

“At the end of the day, above the ring, we are all the same,” Chávez said.

Paul is not worried about what people think of him.

“I don’t pay attention to what the boxing world says,” he said. “Naturally, this world loves to shoot themselves in the foot and wants to keep criticizing me, but what we’ve realized is that they obviously have no power, no control, no weight because I’m still involved in the biggest events.”

This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.