Las Vegas lit up last night not only with neon and spectacle but with history being written in sweat and strategy. Terence “Bud” Crawford defeated Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez by unanimous decision at Allegiant Stadium to seize the undisputed super-middleweight (168 lb) championship, unifying all four major belts and becoming the first male boxer in the four-belt era to claim undisputed titles in three different weight classes. Judges scored it 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 in Crawford’s favor, giving fans and analysts alike plenty to unpack after 12 rounds of elite boxing.
Crawford, now 37, entered the fight with a spotless record of 41 wins, 0 losses. He had many belts already, from lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight to junior middleweight, but this was the biggest step of all. Moving up two divisions, putting himself against a fighter widely pilloried, praised, hyped up and considered among the all-time greats, he was under pressure. He faced not just Canelo’s power but expectations, doubts about weight jump, fitness, and whether a veteran still had it. He answered all of them in that ring.
Crawford’s path to this triumph began in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was born September 28, 1987. He grew up amid hardship, danger and instability. Poverty, crime and violence surrounded him. He was raised largely by his mother while his father was often away serving in the U.S. Navy. As a youth, Crawford was expelled from multiple schools after fights. Boxing became for him not just a sport but an outlet—a way to channel aggression, discipline and ambition. He found the C.W. Boxing Club in North Omaha, where a trainer named Carl Washington first encouraged the boy. Later his mentors Brian “Bomac” McIntyre and Esaú Diéguez shaped his style, work ethic and ring IQ. From his earliest fights as an amateur to his pro debut in 2008 he showed raw talent, adaptability and a fierce will.
Over his pro career Crawford has collected wins against many names: Jeff Horn, Amir Khan, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence Jr., among others. He rose steadily through weight classes, never losing a fight, never having a judge award the opponent more rounds in his pro career. His victories have spanned brutal knockouts, tactical masterclasses and everything in between. He became undisputed in junior welterweight (140 lb), at welterweight (~147 lb), now at super middleweight (168 lb). His switching stances, ability to mix inside pressure with slick outside boxing, his speed, his intelligence – these are feathers in his cap.
The fight itself was tense early. Canelo came in confident, using his usual body work and looking to find moments with his power shots. Crawford weathered those moments, remained disciplined, didn’t over-commit, using feints, angles, sharp counters and varied rhythm. By the mid rounds Crawford began to control the distance, work his jab, frustrate Alvarez with speed and stair-step combinations. In rounds 6-9 he grew in dominance, taking rounds that many gave to Canelo early. Canelo’s reputation for power and pressure could not overwhelm Crawford’s careful ring generalship. The judges saw that and rewarded it.
After the final bell the reaction was electric. Crawford, fighting near tears, was announced the winner. Canelo in his post-fight comments admitted that Crawford was the better boxer that night. He gave praise for Crawford’s skill and composure. At the press conference Canelo said “I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather,” words that in themselves will fuel debate among fans and historians. Crawford acknowledged how much respect he has for Canelo and said this win was validation to himself, and proof to those who doubted him. He said he was not there by coincidence.
The magnitude of this win goes beyond just a title on the line. It shifts narratives. Many have criticized boxing governance, fight matchmaking, huge pay-per-view economies, weight class politics and how legends are made. With this victory Crawford forces conversation: about legacy, about greats past and present, about what it means to move up successfully and do it again and again. In becoming undisputed in three weight classes he joins a small rare company. He did it without letting losses stain his record. He did it without relying solely on knockout power; he did it with discipline, versatility, mind and body.
The crowd in Las Vegas was massive, reported at over 70,000 spectators, one of the largest for a boxing event in recent years. The event was streamed globally, many seeing Crawford not just as champion but as someone who has now cemented his place in boxing’s pantheon. Fans, pundits and fellow fighters erupted in admiration. Reactions ranged from “best of his era” to “may go down as one of the greatest ever.”
What comes next remains uncertain. At 37 age and moving across weights every fight becomes more taxing. Some question how much longer he will compete at this peak. Crawford said he will sit with his team to see what next is best for his health, legacy, family. Canelo likewise, having lost, may re-evaluate his path. But for now boxing has witnessed a night few will forget: when Terence Crawford rose, undefeated, moving up not once but twice in division weight, to take down one of his generation’s biggest names and become undisputed.
This is Crawford’s moment. For those who believed in him since Omaha, since the gym in North Omaha where fights night meant escape and meaning, last night validated every punch, every sacrifice. Terence Crawford is now undisputed super-middleweight champion. He beat Canelo.
And history will remember.
Samuel Aina