Terence Crawford Stuns Canelo Álvarez To Become Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion

Terence “Bud” Crawford made history connected Saturday nighttime successful Las Vegas, outpointing Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez by a unanimous determination to go nan undisputed super-middleweight champion of nan world.

Before a crowd of much than 70,000 astatine Allegiant Stadium – nan largest boxing attendance successful Las Vegas history – Crawford, 37, defied nan size spread and years of uncertainty to hit Mexico’s biggest prima crossed 12 rounds. The charismatic scores were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113, each for Crawford.

Already nan first man of nan four-belt era to unify titles successful 2 weight classes, Crawford now adds a third, vaulting from generational talent into nan sport’s all-time pantheon.

Crawford started quickly, boxing retired of a southpaw stance and moving down his jab. He matched Canelo’s early assemblage shots, past began to find openings upstairs. By nan mediate rounds he was out-landing and out-thinking nan defending champion, snapping Álvarez’s caput backmost pinch crisp counters while utilizing his scope and lateral activity to enactment retired of danger.

Canelo had moments, peculiarly to nan body, but he struggled to trim disconnected nan ringing aliases adjust. As nan conflict wore on, Crawford’s grew much emboldened, landing crisp combinations and moreover opinionated successful nan pouch to trade. In nan title rounds, nan American was successful full command, smiling arsenic he picked disconnected Canelo’s progressively hopeless attacks.

“Canelo is simply a awesome champio,” Crawford said successful nan ringing afterward. “I’ve sewage to return my chapeau disconnected to him. Hes a beardown competitor. Like I said before, I’ve sewage thing but respect for Canelo. I’m a large instrumentality of Canelo and he fought for illustration a champion today.”

Asked astir his future, Crawford was noncommittal. “I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve sewage to beryllium down pinch my squad and talk astir it. I’d conscionable for illustration to opportunity convey you to each nan supporters, convey you to each nan haters. I admit each of y’all.”

For Álvarez, 35, it was only nan 3rd conclusion of a storied 64-fight career. The four-division champion had been entrenched astatine 168lb for astir 7 years, but connected this nighttime was astatine times made to look mean by Crawford’s velocity and timing.

This is simply a processing story. More to follow.