History-maker Terence Crawford stunned Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on points in Las Vegas, becoming the first male fighter in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight divisions.
In front of 70,000 fiercely pro-Alvarez fans at Allegiant Stadium, Crawford – jumping up two weight divisions – delivered a masterclass, underlining his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound star.
The unbeaten 37-year-old showcased his full arsenal of skill, defence, power and timing, leaving Alvarez, 35, clinging on at the final bell and silencing the partisan crowd.
Despite the judges scoring it tighter than expected – 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 – the verdict capped off a defining performance, on the grandest stage, that will be remembered long in the sport’s history.
“I’m not here by coincidence,” said Crawford, draped in the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and IBF super-middleweight titles.
Crawford dropped to his knees as he was announced the winner, visibly emotional.
Despite the victory, the Omaha fighter did not rule out retiring after his 42nd straight professional win.
“I don’t know, I’ve got to sit down with my team and we’ll talk about it,” he added.
Fighting on Mexican Independence Day weekend, Alvarez – who loses for the third time in his 68th bout – had his status, pride and the hopes of a nation on the line, but came up against a generational great.
“I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him. If we do it again then it’ll be great,” he said.
“My legacy is already there and I like taking risks because I love boxing.”
Crawford masterclass lights up Vegas
In a provocative move, Crawford made his ringwalk to a mariachi band. Unaware, Mexican fans sang along – until a grinning ‘Bud’ appeared on the big screen.
Alvarez followed with his own mariachi entrance, brass and strings echoing as he soaked in the rapturous adoration.
After a cautious opening round, Crawford began to assert himself, using his reach and movement while counter-punching with precision.
Some wondered whether he could absorb Alvarez’s power, but when Alvarez landed single shots to the body in the fourth, Crawford fired back with two uppercuts and a right-hook combination. He showed no signs of intimidation.
Alvarez landed a heavy right in the closing seconds of the round, but Crawford merely smiled dismissively. Gliding across the ring, he landed a beautiful combination in the sixth.
This was the 21st time Alvarez had fought in Las Vegas – a city where he has built a fortress over two decades – but it was clear he had his work cut out by the halfway stage.
Ringside was a who’s who of boxing and entertainment, from legends Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, and Thomas Hearns to singer Lizzo and actor Mark Wahlberg.
They witnessed a ninth-round spectacle as the fighters met in the centre, trading blows, with a brief pause after an accidental Alvarez headbutt.
Alvarez’s corner urged him on in desperation: “We have three rounds to blow him up,” his long-term trainer Eddy Reynoso said.
As the championship rounds wore on, Crawford increasingly looked capable of finishing it inside the distance.
Jabs and combinations flew, Alvarez chasing while Crawford picked him apart. His legs showed signs of fatigue – in a 15-round fight, it felt like Crawford would have finished it.
The judges’ scorecards were too close for comfort but throughout fight week Crawford had promised to find a way past Alvarez – and he did, in style.
History for Crawford, hard questions for Alvarez
This was never a bout long in the making – the pair had operated in different weight classes – but the scale of Alvarez’s commercial power and Crawford’s immaculate record elevated it into a genuine super-fight.
Crawford now stands as a five-weight world champion, adding undisputed status at light-welterweight and welterweight to his latest triumph.
In doing so, he emulates his friend Claressa Shields, who was ringside and remains female boxing’s trailblazer with undisputed crowns in three divisions.
With the fight broadcast globally on Netflix to a potential audience of more than 300 million, his fame could now soar.
Although Crawford has admitted retirement is not off the table, the options before him are vast – and so too are the potential paydays.
For Alvarez, the critics will be unforgiving. He lost to a great fighter, but one stepping up to super-middleweight for the first time.
It was a gamble and it backfired.
But after 20 years at the pinnacle, the Mexican icon has little left to prove. His legacy is secure, and when the time comes to walk away it will be on his own terms.
“I’m a winner for being here. The fact I’m here makes me a winner. I take risks and that’s what I did,” he said.
(BBC)
