LAS VEGAS (AP) — Terence “Bud” Crawford doesn’t need anyone to bolster his confidence or reinforce his swagger. He certainly doesn’t need another fight to accentuate his résumé.

If he retired today, Crawford would be considered one of the greatest fighters of this century.

But even he knows how much Saturday night’s super middleweight title fight against Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium would mean to his legacy.

“Terence Crawford’s legacy, you know, pre-Canelo fight — he’s a Hall of Famer, first ballot, period,” Crawford said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. “Terence Crawford defeating Canelo Alvarez, I mean, he’s one of the all-time greats, period.

”(This is) the greatest of all the fights that I done fought. This is the one.”

The 37-year-old spoke confidently about adding a third undisputed title on Saturday, when he’ll challenge Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), who holds all of the belts at 168 pounds — 14 pounds heavier than the limit at junior middleweight, where Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is champion.

Crawford, who's already unified titles at 140 and 147, said it’s undoubtedly a career-defining moment for both fighters.

“Canelo don’t want to lose to a guy moving up two weight classes,” Crawford said. “You know, he don’t want a smaller guy dethroning him from his undisputed status. Terence Crawford wants to move up and do all those things.

“He’s got a lot to lose, I got a lot to win. I got a lot to lose, he’s got a lot to win.”

Nothing new for Crawford, really, as he was in one of the biggest fights boxing had to offer two summers ago, when the long-awaited showdown with fellow welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. took place in July 2023.

Though many felt it would be an evenly matched bout, Crawford, who was a slight favorite, quickly turned it into a one-sided match, knocking down Spence three times before registering a ninth-round stoppage.

The win made Crawford the undisputed welterweight champion and the first four-belt titlist at two weights.

Now, Crawford is the slim underdog (+135), as Alvarez is priced at -175 at BetMGM Sportsbook. That means a bettor would have to lay $175 to win $100 on Alvarez. A $100 wager on Crawford would pay $135.

In making the two-weight class jump, Crawford said it’s the right time with no other opponent worthy of his company in the ring at this point in his career.

“Who else would there be to make a mega fight with Terence Crawford, other than Canelo Alvarez?” Crawford said. “Who? Nobody at 47. Nobody at 54. Nobody at 60. Who else besides Canelo Alvarez?

"When you sit down there and you think of a mega fight — not a good fight, a mega fight — you say, ‘OK, who? What name could Terence Crawford fight to generate a mega fight?’”

The Omaha native’s impressive career has inspired Nebraska football coach Matt Rhule, who said Monday he wants his players to model themselves athletically after Crawford.

The Cornhuskers’ theme of the week: “Be Like Bud.”

Crawford, who frequently attends Nebraska football games, said it’s only been during the latter stages of his career that he's learned to appreciate the lessons he learned during the harder times of his life.

“All those hardships are what made the man that you see today,” Crawford said.

They helped him build an undefeated boxing career. Saturday night could further cement his legacy.

“It’s going to be great, especially looking back on it,” he said. “And for me, to capture that victory and that magnitude, it’s gonna be so good.”

Canelo Alvarez embraces role as face of boxing as he prepares for challenge from Terence Crawford

LAS VEGAS (AP) — It’s seemingly Canelo Alvarez’s world, and everyone else is simply living in it.

As the debate about who's the best pound-for-pound fighter remains fervent, Alvarez has played the role of the face of boxing well leading up to Saturday’s undisputed super middleweight bout against Terence Crawford at 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium.

The Mexican superstar, who has represented his country with pride and grace in a near 20-year career, strolled across the red carpet for Tuesday’s grand entrance, answered some questions, held an invite-only media availability that ended six questions in, and skipped Wednesday’s media day.

The ginger-haired, freckle-faced future Hall of Famer has a 63-2-2 career record with 39 knockouts, including notable wins over Shane Mosley, Amir Khan, Julio César Chávez Jr. and Gennady Golovkin.

Saul “Canelo” Alvaraz, who holds the distinction of being the first fighter in history to unify all four major titles at super middleweight, has never improvised or skimmed his way through 67 tales of the tape. He’s built his stature with nothing less than a hardcore work ethic and staunch discipline.

His legacy has been built brick by brick, or, belt by belt, on some of the biggest stages.

Saturday, the face of boxing faces his biggest test on the biggest stage.

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is moving up two weight classes and presents a challenge Alvarez hasn’t seen in quite some time, quite possibly ever. That includes Alvarez’s first career defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013.

Alvarez has also never been knocked down in his professional career, and Crawford is someone who many believe has the power to introduce Canelo to the canvas.

As boisterous as Alvarez deservedly could be, considering his status and what he’s done to keep boxing relevant during a time mixed martial arts has surpassed the squared circle in popularity, he remained humble about the event that will be broadcast on Netflix without a pay-per-view purchase for subscribers.

“I’ve been in big fights, many big fights, but this fight especially is different,” Alvarez said. “You can see the magnitude of the fight.

“Everything around the fight, you can see how big it is. For me, it means a lot, this fight.”

Alvarez is priced at -175 at BetMGM Sportsbook, with Crawford bringing back +175. That means a bettor would have to lay $175 to win $100 on Alvarez. A $100 wager on Crawford would pay $135.

Alvarez is fresh off a victory over William Scull on May 3, when he reclaimed his undisputed status at 168 pounds.

Crawford hasn’t fought since Aug. 24, when he defeated Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles. But it was the fight prior that reminded everyone Crawford's name is still in the pound-for-pound conversation, when he knocked Errol Spence Jr. down in the second, twice in the seventh, and won by stoppage in the ninth.

The same confidence he took into the Spence fight is the same assurance and determination he’s bringing into what he’s called the biggest fight of his life, despite being the underdog.

“I’ve been told I’d never be where I am at now,” Crawford said. “I was told I need to get another job because I wasn’t going to be a world champion.

“I’m going to be victorious. And everybody is going to talk about it on Sunday.”

And why wouldn’t they, with a win over the guy considered to be the face of boxing, in what’s seemingly his world?

“I’m going to bring this fight to America because I think this kind of fight is (big),” Alvarez said. “I just want to tell the people to enjoy this fight because it’s huge.”