Terence Crawford has defeated Saul “Canelo” Alvarez by unanimous decision to become the undisputed super middleweight champion in a thrilling contest at Las Vegas's Allegiant Stadium. The victory makes Crawford the first men's boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in three different weight classes. Crawford, who moved up two weight divisions for the bout, delivered a boxing masterclass, improving his record to a perfect 42-0.
He controlled the pace of the fight from the start with his hand speed and precise footwork, expertly neutralizing Alvarez's superior power. The 37-year-old maintained his distance, landing flurries of blows and forcing Alvarez to the back foot. The judges' scorecards reflected his dominance, with scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of the American.
Alvarez, who had only two prior losses in his career, was outboxed for much of the bout. However, he maintained his sportsmanship after the defeat, which snapped a six-fight winning streak. "I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him," Alvarez said. "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. If we do it again then it'll be great."
The fight was a 12-round showcase of elite boxing in front of a sellout crowd of more than 70,000 people. Crawford showed his confidence in the pivotal sixth round, landing a hard hook that earned Alvarez's respect. He continued to land combinations in the final rounds, absorbing any punches that came his way with resilience. After the victory, Crawford expressed his gratitude. "God blessed me. He made this event, and he made this night just for me," he said.
With the victory, Crawford cemented his place as one of the greatest fighters in boxing history. When asked about his future plans, he said he has not made a decision yet and will "sit down with my team and we're going to talk about it." Alvarez, on the other hand, has already stated his willingness for a potential rematch.