Terence Crawford is preparing to face WBA super welterweight champion Israil Madrimov this weekend, live on DAZN, but Shawn Porter thinks the next step for "Bud" may be a fight against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.
If such a mega-fight happens, Porter believes Crawford can defeat the Mexican four-weight champion.
"It's a realistic fight," Porter told talkSPORT. "In some way it would be an upset if Terence won, but I don't think so."
Porter knows first hand the talent that Crawford possesses, having lost to the pound-for-pound great by TKO in 2021. That was Porter's final fight in a career that was highlighted by separate reigns as the IBF and WBC welterweight champion.
The retired former champion called Crawford a "stone-cold athlete" with "an intellect that can't be duplicated," and it's those attributes that leads Porter to believe that the 36-year-old could seriously challenge Canelo in a potential bout.
"Especially if he does something amazing on fight night here against Madrimov, I think it's not an upset," Porter said.
"That's a 50/50 to me and I do think Crawford could beat Canelo."