Terence Crawford delivered the performance of a lifetime in Las Vegas, outboxing Saul “Canelo” Alvarez over 12 tense rounds to become the undisputed super middleweight champion.
In front of more than 70,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium, and millions watching on Netflix, Crawford showed blistering speed, sharp timing and smart movement to win by unanimous decision on Saturday night. Judges scored it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 in the American’s favour.
“I’m not here by coincidence. Canelo is a great champion … I have great respect for him,” Crawford said, tears streaming down his face after the decision. “I want to say thank you to all the supporters and the haters. I appreciate you all.”
The win makes Crawford the first male boxer ever to be undisputed champion in three weight divisions, light welterweight, welterweight and now super middleweight. He moved up two weight classes to face Alvarez, weighing a career-high 167.5 pounds (75.9kg) but still looking sharp.
From the opening bell, Crawford fought at range, sliding in and out with crisp counters and neutralising Alvarez’s heavier shots. The Mexican star tried to rally with body attacks and late-round power punches, but Crawford’s composure and accuracy carried the day.
Crawford extended his unbeaten record to 42-0 (31 KOs). For Alvarez, now 35, it was a rare defeat but not without pride.
“I take risks and that’s what I did,” he said. “If we do it again, then it’ll be great. My legacy is already there.”
The fight also broke records. Promoters said it smashed Las Vegas attendance marks and, streamed on Netflix instead of pay-per-view, could point to a new future for big-time boxing. UFC boss Dana White co-promoted the card under the Riyadh Season banner.
On the undercard, Callum Walsh beat Fernando Vargas Jr, while Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez fought to a draw in a hard-hitting super middleweight bout.
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