Crawford Dethrones Canelo In Las Vegas Showdown

LAS VEGAS – Terence Crawford etched his name into boxing folklore on Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium, defeating Canelo Álvarez by unanimous decision to seize the undisputed super middleweight championship. The victory, a masterclass in tactical boxing, saw Crawford move up two weight divisions and conquer a formidable opponent in Álvarez.

The judges scored the bout 116-112 and 115-113 twice, all in favour of Crawford, crowning him the first male fighter in the four-belt era to achieve undisputed status in three different weight classes: junior welterweight, welterweight, and now super middleweight.

Crawford, who campaigned for much of his career between 135 and 147 pounds, had previously captured the WBA junior middleweight title in August 2024 against Israil Madrimov. He then dedicated a year to prepare for the challenge posed by Canelo.

Álvarez, a four-division champion himself, now counts Crawford amongst only three defeats in his career. The others being Floyd Mayweather in 2013 and Dmitry Bivol in 2022, when Álvarez ventured up to light heavyweight. The loss to Crawford brought an end to a six-fight winning streak for the Mexican star.

Tactical Battle In Early Rounds

The early rounds were characterised by a chess match of styles. Álvarez focused his attacks on Crawford’s body, utilising his left hook and varying his approach. Crawford, fighting exclusively from the southpaw stance, established his jab and responded with accurate straight lefts and sharp combinations.

Álvarez enjoyed some success in the fourth round, landing a strong right hand that momentarily troubled Crawford. He carried this momentum into the fifth, controlling the distance and outworking Crawford from range.

Crawford Seizes Control

However, the sixth round proved to be a turning point. Crawford stood his ground, landing effectively on the inside and connecting with a clean hook to Álvarez’s chin. A warning was issued to Álvarez for a low blow later in the round, although no point was deducted. From this point onwards, Crawford dictated the pace, mixing his jab and combinations with well-timed counters.

The ninth round brought added drama as a clash of heads resulted in a cut above Crawford’s right eye. Crawford responded with a flurry of punches, landing 33 compared to Álvarez's 10. While Álvarez found some success in the tenth, Crawford regained control in the championship rounds, outlanding his opponent in the eleventh and trading freely in the twelfth without ever appearing troubled by Álvarez’s power.

According to CompuBox statistics, Crawford outlanded Álvarez 115-99 in total punches, with a significant advantage in jabs at 45-16. Álvarez held a lead in power shots, landing 83 to Crawford’s 70.

Crawford Cements His Legacy

The victory cements Crawford’s legacy as one of the sport’s elite fighters. The 37-year-old American has proven his versatility and skill by conquering three weight divisions. His composed and tactically astute performance against Álvarez demonstrated his ability to adapt and execute under pressure, earning him the undisputed super middleweight crown. The bout was promoted by Dana White.

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