A former world champion believes Terence Crawford still does not get the respect he deserves.

The ex-undisputed welterweight champion Crawford has been considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world since traversing the weight divisions to collect title belts.

But the September 13th fight against Canelo Alvarez will be a moment that could secure his legacy in the sport as an all-time great.

As boxers from the past have weighed in on the contest, a majority have picked a win for ‘Bud’ but believe his strengths lie over the 12-round distance, as one has warned not to chase an ‘idiotic’ knockout.

A former champion believes Terence Crawford is ‘still fighting’ for respect in boxing, but he will beat Canelo Alvarez

With support from boxing greats ramping up ahead of his date with destiny, the doubters will still point to his close win against an Olympian, who ‘pushed him to the limit’ in Israil Madrimov, as a sign that he may be in for a difficult night.

But the former unified light heavyweight champion, Antonio Tarver, sees himself in the Omaha boxer because of fans and pundits doubting his abilities after achieving greatness.

During a podcast for First Round TV, Tarver explained his thoughts on the super-fight.

He said: “I love Crawford. He reminds me of me when I look at everything he’s gone through, everything he had to overcome, being the pound-for-pound without getting recognized as the pound-for-pound, and he’s still fighting for respect.

“He processed the game a lot differently than a lot of these guys, and I think it’s between his ears. He’s a smart fighter.”

Tarver is infamous for his battles with Roy Jones Jr, especially when he won their rematch by knockout after delivering the line, ‘Have you got any excuses tonight, Roy?’.

While he does not back calls for the American to stop Alvarez late, he does see a victory, unless a previous version of the Mexican super-middleweight king shows up on the night, which could pose a big problem.

“I like him to win a decision only because I believe Canelo is facing a guy that he hasn’t faced a guy this tough since (Caleb Plant),” he said.

“If Canelo comes in like he did against Plant and has that type of energy, that type of footwork, and that type of resilience, I think that’s going to give Crawford fits.

“But if he comes in like he did his last three fights, that ain’t gonna be enough. Looking forward to it. Very quickly.”

Future Canelo Alvarez opponent gives an interesting prediction for the Terence Crawford fight

The eagerly anticipated clash will be a worldwide spectacle with the involvement of Netflix, and depending on who wins, there could be some intriguing future clashes.

Talk in the boxing world has pointed to a potential retirement for Crawford if he were to win or lose because of his age and, if he were to be victorious, the achievement of becoming a three-time undisputed champion.

However, Saul Alvarez, if he wins, is likely to fight on, even with over 60 contests under his belt.

Hamzah Sheeraz, after his devastating knockout of Edgar Berlanga, has been a rumoured opponent since he burst onto the boxing scene, and he has now given his prediction on his future rival’s bout.

Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, Sheeraz said: “I expect the fight to be very competitive for the first six rounds, and then Canelo to take over and dominate.”

A showdown in the UK would be a likely destination if the bout were ever to materialise because the Mexican has never fought in Britain during his storied career.