Canelo, Crawford, and the Power of Breathing: Why Your Lungs Might Be Your Secret Weapon
Credit: Getty Images/Netflix
Why Your Lungs Might Be Your Secret Weapon
When Canelo Álvarez stepped into the ring against Terence Crawford, the world tuned in to watch two legends collide. The commentators spoke about speed, footwork, and power punches, but what caught my attention wasn’t his jab.
It was his breathing.
Yes, I know… not exactly highlight-reel material. But bear with me.
The Problem Every Athlete Faces: Fight or Flight
Whether you’re boxing, sprinting, or stepping up to take a penalty, your body reacts to pressure in the same way: it flips the fight-or-flight switch. Adrenaline spikes, your muscles tense, your heart pounds. It’s brilliant for survival… but a nightmare for decision-making.
If you’ve ever felt your mind go foggy in competition, that’s why. Stress narrows your focus until all you can think about is “don’t mess this up.” Not ideal when your sport requires sharp reactions and smart decisions.
The Canelo Trick: Breathing to Take Back Control
Between rounds, Canelo’s coach gave him a simple instruction: breathe. Not the casual “in through the nose, out through the mouth” you’d do half-heartedly in yoga class, but intentional deep breathing with longer exhales.
Why? Two big reasons:
It calms your body down. Longer exhales activate the parasympathetic nervous system (basically your in-built ‘chill mode’). Stress drops, energy levels stabilise.
It sharpens your brain. Once your body relaxes, your mind opens back up. You can actually hear what your coach is saying, rather than just nodding blankly while thinking, “I need oxygen, please.”
This is where I like to say: calm the body to calm the mind.
“Breathing? Really?”
I’ve lost count of how many athletes have given me the raised eyebrow at the mention of breathing exercises. Some try it once, feel nothing magical, and write it off as nonsense.
Here’s the truth: like any skill, breathing needs practice. Canelo doesn’t just whip it out on fight night. He’s built it into his training routine. In fact, he uses different types of breathing drills in the mornings. It’s like strength work for your nervous system. Here's a video of him using it https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QFyg8MWdsWk
The athletes who dismiss it are usually the same ones who haven’t stuck with it long enough to see the payoff. (A bit like someone saying squats don’t work after doing them once with dodgy form).
How This Helps You
If you’ve ever:
Tightened up under pressure
Lost focus in big moments
Or felt your body racing faster than your thoughts
…then this is your entry point. Breathing is free, it’s always available, and with practice, it can help you take back control when it matters most.
Ready to Try It?
Canelo has coaches and a world-class set-up behind him. You don’t need all of that but you do need guidance to make breathing work for your sport and performance goals.
That’s where I come in.
If you’re serious about levelling up your mindset, let’s put breathing to work for you. Book a taster session with me today and experience how one simple tool can shift your game.
Because sometimes, your biggest weapon isn’t in your fists or feet… it’s in your lungs.