FLOYD MAYWEATHER claimed Terence Crawford is the pound-for-pound king – but warned Billy Joe Saunders not to underestimate Canelo Alvarez.
The WBO super-middleweight champion, 30, is the favourite to land the mega-money fight against the Mexican hardman, 29, on May 2.
Floyd Mayweather has claimed that Terence Crawford is the best in the business
Mayweather labelled Saunders as one of the best fighters from the UK when he spoke to fans at event in Sheffield on Sunday.
Discussing the British boxing scene, he said: “Don’t you guys have Kell Brook? Kell Brook’s a helluva fighter.
“Billy Saunders is from the UK also.
“Me myself, I think Kell Brook is one of the best fighters from the UK and I also think Billy Saunders is one of the best fighters from the UK.”
Mayweather, who ended his boxing career with a record of 50-0, beat Canelo by majority decision back in 2013.
Saunders has a long-running feud with the four-division world champion – but Mayweather has urged him to do his research.
‘ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN’
Speaking about the possible Las Vegas showdown, he said: “Anything can happen in the sport of boxing.
“But he must know just because in my fight with Canelo, I used certain certain angles.
“Canelo, I can tell he’s been watching my tapes, I can tell Canelo has been studying my moves.
“Canelo fought GGG, he beat [Sergey] Kovalev, so Canelo’s making a lot of noise in the sport of boxing, but I don’t want Billy Saunders to overlook Canelo.
“I think it’s gonna be a helluva fight.”
Canelo is widely regarded as the pound-for-pound king after his brutal knockout win over Kovalev took his record to 53-1-2.
But Mayweather has insisted that Crawford is the best in the business.
The American superstar added: “It’s a couple guys that’s up there in pound-for-pound.
“Right now if I had to say the guy that’s number one in pound-for-pound and I’m not just saying this because [I promote him].
“The most exciting fighter in boxing now is Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, he’s the most exciting.
“22-0 with 21 knockouts, hands down Gervonta Davis is the most exciting fighter in the sport of boxing right now.
“And pound-for-pound, I would have to say Terence Crawford.
Billy Joe Saunders most recently beat Marcelo Esteban CoceresCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“Terence Crawford is the number one guy pound-for-pound.”
In November, Ring Magazine ranked Canelo at the top of the pile and Crawford dropped to fourth behind Vasiliy Lomachenko and Naoya Inoue.
BoxRec’s latest rankings have Canelo in the No1 spot followed by Crawford, Gennadiy Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr.
Canelo Alvarez beat WBO light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev in Las VegasCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
