The fight of the decade is nearly here. On Saturday, Sept. 13, two of boxing’s all-time greats — Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford — will step into the ring for a historic showdown streaming live on Netflix. 

Álvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) is defending the unified super middleweight championship against undefeated four-division superstar Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) in a clash longtime UFC commentator Jon Anik calls “massive.” 

Anik, who will call play-by-play for the fight, told the Netflix Sports Club Podcast that this event is going to be one for the books. 

“However trite it sounds, when boxing is at its best, I’m not sure anything touches it,” Anik said in the latest episode. “We got the right referee [Thomas Taylor] in there to prevent holding. I think it’s going to be an amazing showcase for boxing.”

Canelo’s mindset before fight night

Álvarez also talked to Netflix Sport Club to reflect on his preparation and mindset heading into one of the most important nights of his career. 

“I'm better than ever. I trained my mind. I trained my body. We need to be patient, we need to be very intelligent. Just do everything I do in training camp. I just need the commitment Saturday night.”

He added that this fight has pushed him to prepare differently.

“We trained especially for [Crawford]. We have two great sparring partners in my training camp, two of the best right now. I can do a lot of things in the ring. “I [haven’t] done it before with other opponents because I [didn’t] really need it, but in this fight, I need to put everything I got.”

Crawford as the underdog

Despite Crawford’s undefeated record, oddsmakers have Canelo as the favorite. As Anik explains, their size difference plays a big role.

 “[Crawford] is the underdog because he’s the smaller man,” Anik says. “He does have the reach advantage by a few inches in this fight, but he’s the naturally smaller man. He realized great success as a boxer at 135 pounds. This fight is happening at 168 pounds.”

Still, Anik explains, the Omaha native’s move up two weight classes carries intrigue and a potential upside: “The betting underdog moving up two weight classes and beating the otherworldly undisputed super middleweight champion.”

Potential paths to victory

Come Saturday night under the bright lights, how might the fight unfold? Anik sees multiple possibilities. 

Anik says, “You’re going to have a feeling-out process. Both fighters are going to be trying to get information and see what the power and speed feels like from the other. But I think you could get something consequential, something climactic early on in this fight in the first nine minutes.”

The fight’s potential for electric action early on is one thing, but Anik also sees other possible outcomes. “Álvarez could bully him and be methodical, but he could also go out there aggressively and try to knock his head off. A lot of pundits expect that if Crawford can weather the storm early, he can realize success late and take Canelo Álvarez into those deep waters. Fascinating potential tale of two fights.”

Whatever happens, Anik cautions fans not to look away. 

“I don’t like when people say ‘don't blink,’ but this is not only the fight of the year on paper before it happens, it’s the fight of the decade,” he shares. “So, yeah, you shouldn’t be getting a beer — Round 1 is going to be very interesting.”

Canelo’s motivation

For Álvarez, the stakes go beyond another title defense. 

“This is history. History for my career, history for me, history for my country. I love boxing so much. This kind of fight still motivates me because I love what I do.”

Canelo vs. Crawford streams live globally on Netflix at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Sept. 13. Visit Tudum’s fight hub for all the details about fight night.