In a stunning display of skill and determination, Terence Crawford scaled two weight divisions to secure a commanding victory over Canelo Álvarez for the undisputed super-middleweight championship. This historic matchup took place on Saturday night in front of a record crowd, and Crawford wasted no time framing it as a defining moment in his illustrious boxing career. “This is definitely a signature win,” Crawford declared to reporters after the fight. “Moving up two weight classes, being the B-side, fighting a guy that’s been undefeated in the division, undisputed, taking all his titles, doing everything that I said I was going to do. Of course this means a lot.”
When asked when he realized he would triumph over Álvarez, the composed Crawford responded without hesitation, “When he signed the contract,” eliciting laughter from those present. However, beneath his humor lay a firm conviction that this victory was the culmination of his preparation and skill. “When I set my sights on doing something and I know what I’m capable of, it’s not like a surprise to me,” Crawford explained. “It’s a surprise to y’all, because y’all didn’t believe me. But for me, I knew I could do it. I just needed the opportunity.”
Crawford characterized the early rounds of the fight as controlled rather than overly cautious. “I felt like I was in control,” he noted, adding that Álvarez seemed to be trying to assess his style. Even when Álvarez landed body shots, Crawford downplayed their impact. “He wasn’t hitting the body or anything. He was hitting my elbow because I was blocking it.” The sixth round proved pivotal; it was in this round that Crawford began to assert himself more definitively, landing sharp left hands and feeling the momentum shift in his favor. “Around like the sixth round, I felt like I needed to step it up a little more and get more control of the fight, because the fight was going like a seesaw effect,” he said.
As the fight progressed, Crawford’s confidence surged. He even smiled at some of Canelo’s best shots in the later rounds, dismissing concerns about whether he could withstand Canelo’s renowned power. “I’ve been hit harder,” Crawford stated, referencing a past encounter with Egidijus Kavaliauskas, who had hurt him briefly in 2019. “Kavaliauskas hit harder than Canelo, to me, to be honest.” When informed that Álvarez appeared to wane in the later rounds, Crawford maintained his respect for his opponent, saying, “He was 1,000% prepared. I just think I was the better man today.”
After the bout, Álvarez faced reporters without making excuses, acknowledging Crawford’s talent. “We knew Crawford is a great fighter … I tried my best tonight, and I just couldn’t figure out the style. You need to take the loss and accept everything,” he said. He candidly shared his frustration: “Sometimes you try and your body cannot go. That’s my frustration … my body just didn’t let me go anymore.”
This victory not only crowned Crawford as the undisputed champion but also marked him as the first male boxer in the four-belt era to achieve this status in three divisions, a feat only previously matched by Henry Armstrong in 1938. “It means a lot to me, because anybody can be a nobody,” Crawford reflected. “That’s all they say I’ve been fighting is nobodies. So what can they say now? Somebody tell me, what can you say now?”
Crawford expressed his deep respect for Canelo, stating, “He’s a great champion. He’s a strong competitor. Like I said before, I’ve got nothing but respect for Canelo. I’m a big fan of Canelo and he fought like a champion today.” In a surprising twist, Álvarez reciprocated the admiration, stating, “I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather.”
As for his own legacy, Crawford resisted comparisons to other greats, including Mayweather. “Floyd was the greatest in his era. I’m the greatest in my era. It ain’t no need to compare me to Floyd or Floyd to me,” he asserted. Ending the night on a reflective note, the fighter who is often understated reminded everyone of the significance of his victory. “The ones that doubted me, they know,” he concluded. “I don’t have to say I told you so or rub it in their face. This right here is I told you so.”
