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On Saturday night in Las Vegas, Terence “Bud” Crawford didn’t just step into the Allegiant Stadium ring—he stepped straight into boxing history. The Omaha native dethroned Mexico’s Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez by unanimous decision (116-112, 115-113, 115-113), ripping away the four recognized super middleweight titles (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF) and cementing his place as the first male fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed champion in three different divisions.
Before Crawford, only Claressa Shields had accomplished that feat on the women’s side—conquering junior middleweight, middleweight, and super middleweight between 2017 and 2021. But on this night, with a flawless performance against one of the sport’s greats, Crawford shattered the odds and the expectations.
Moving up from junior middleweight (154 lbs) to super middleweight (168 lbs), Crawford—a former lightweight, junior welterweight, and welterweight king—brought his record to 41-0 with 31 knockouts. He neutralized Canelo’s power and size advantage with surgical precision, controlling the action across twelve grueling rounds in front of a crowd of more than 65,000 fans. Among the celebrities ringside: Magic Johnson, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Julio César Chávez, Charlize Theron, and Marc Anthony.
Skill Over Power
Canelo came in with the edge on paper—heavier, naturally bigger, three years younger, and with the punching power to back it up. The old boxing adage says, “a good big man beats a good little man.” On Saturday night, Crawford proved the exception.
The Nebraska technician picked his spots, offsetting Álvarez’s aggression with head movement, footwork, and pinpoint punching. He smothered Canelo’s surges, gave him no room to land the big shot, and outscored him in the exchanges. Judges Tim Cheatham and Max DeLuca saw it 115-113, while Steve Weisfeld had it 116-112—all in favor of Crawford.
For Canelo, who now stands at 63-3-2 (39 KOs), it was a bitter setback. For Crawford, it was the crowning jewel of an already historic career—proof that skill, ring IQ, and patience can outshine raw strength.
What Comes Next?
Promoter Turki Alalshikh and TKO’s Dana White had put together a card for the ages, with Canelo guaranteed a reported $100 million and Crawford $50 million—before even counting purses. The event delivered on the hype, but left one looming question: will there be a rematch?
In boxing, when the stakes are this high, it’s hard to imagine otherwise.
Honor to the victor, glory to the vanquished.
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