Terence Crawford’s coach names key strength that will see him beat Canelo

Crawford’s strength and conditioning coach Chet Fortune does not just think his fighter will win, he believes he will dominate

There are many reasons why a boxer might emerge victorious in the ring; superior skill, tactical nous, athleticism or even luck. But Terence Crawford’s strength and conditioning coach believes it is another attribute that will swing Bud’s fight with Canelo in his favour.

“When it all comes down to it, what people don’t understand is Terence’s mindset,” Chet Fortune tells me. “This sport really comes down to mindset, and having the willingness to put in whatever work it takes to accomplish the goal you’re trying to meet.”

He still has every faith in his fighter’s physical abilities. Fortune says Crawford is stronger and more muscular than ever thanks to an intense training regime over the last few months. His skill in the ring remains largely unmatched, and it also “looks like he’s got more speed”, despite packing on 14lbs to fight in the super middleweight division, Fortune adds.

Yet, even with these many favourable feathers to his bow, it is what Crawford has going on upstairs that has Fortune convinced of victory on September 13. This is why.

Subscribe to DAZN now to watch over 185 fights a year

Why is Terence Crawford’s mindset his most powerful weapon?

“I’m from Omaha, Nebraska. It’s like any other city – there’s crime, there are drugs, there’s violence. Sometimes it’s kill or be killed. Every day in the hood is a battle,” Crawford tells Netflix camera crews in a documentary series preceding the upcoming Canelo fight.

But after being invited into C.W. boxing gym aged seven, he did not look back.

“When I was in the amateurs, looking at how good these [professional] fighters were, I was like, ‘Man, you’re not on their level – you’re not making it in the pros’. I wanted to be like them; I wanted to compete like them, so I would go to the gym and I’d just train and train and train. I was more focused [than other fighters] and I was putting more time and work into my craft.

“When people talk about Terence Crawford, they’re going to talk about how I overcame all the odds.”

Overcoming all the odds is thrown around as a platitude within the sporting world, but Crawford’s story is one worthy of the phrase. As someone who has spent the last decade training Bud, coach Fortune provides fascinating insights into the mind of an athlete capable of dictating their own fortune.

“For a lot of people, they might have a goal of losing 10lbs – maybe it’s a New Year’s resolution or they have a trip coming up,” he says. “They get excited, they get motivated, and then they drop the ball. They experience the work and they don’t want to do it.

“I think that’s one thing that makes Terence who he is. I work with a lot of different competitive athletes from a lot of different sports – he has that competitive spirit and that mindset to do whatever it takes.”

This drive to succeed not only spans his unbeaten 17-year professional boxing career, but also extends into his childhood.

“I think, at seven years old, he probably knew he wanted to be one of the greatest world champions and a hall of famer,” says Fortune. “Every day of his life, he never drank, he never smoked, he never did any drugs or anything like that, because his goal was to win.”

Read more: The best exercises for developing knockout punching power, according to leading boxing coach

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez facing off with Terence Crawford (right) (Getty)

Terence Crawford’s unbeaten record, in more than just boxing

Bud’s will to win has seen him collate a professional record of 41 fights, 41 wins, 31 of those by knockout. And his competitiveness extends beyond the ring.

“He’s more competitive than anybody I've ever met,” Fortune says. “There could be games sitting around the house at an AirBnB we show up to. He wants to play, and he wants to beat you at all of them. Nine times out of 10, he does.

“You could be walking into Walmart and he will want to be a step faster than the person next to him. He’s competing at all times.”

When you blend this winning mentality with Crawford’s work ethic, skill, physicality and tactical prowess, you have a recipe for success.

“You’ve got to put the two together; the mindset and the willingness to commit and put in the work that it takes to achieve whatever goal.

“He also has that accountability, both to himself and to a lot of people around him who keep him accountable. Having that support is important.

“But ultimately, when it comes to Bud, I know he’s willing to work harder than anyone else; willing to do whatever it takes; he doesn’t have any quit in him; and then he has a support system that he trusts around him.”

And what is the sum of these parts, come September 13 when Crawford faces Canelo?

Fortune answers simply: “Spence Part Two.”

Read more: ‘Don’t try this at home’ - the brutal NFL strength and conditioning protocol that some boxers can also benefit from

---

DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more.

An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight.

There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts. For pricing in your country, more information and to sign up, click here.