For more than a decade now, Canelo Alvarez has been boxing’s biggest draw. He was named the face of the sport after decimating the competition. His opponent, Terence Crawford, was dominant in his own right, but kept his head down, not looking for the pomp and circumstance.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Crawford (42-0) walked out of Las Vegas immortalized as a true great after a masterclass performance against Canelo.
He might have even taken the “face of boxing” mantle.
“There’s no more Canelo’s. I’m the face of boxing now. I’m the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Crawford said.
Crawford was already a four-division champion before the fight. The Canelo bout was something he wanted to add to his incredible resume before he decides to retire.
“Oh, my story is already written. I’m already stamped in the history books, but at the same time, it’s the cherry on top. You know, this is the — this is the bonus,” Crawford told The Athletic before the fight.
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Crawford beat Canelo at Allegiant Stadium to become the undisputed super middleweight champion. “Bud” moved up two weight classes to earn more gold. He followed in the footsteps of Henry Armstrong to become a three-division undisputed champion.
Canelo and Crawford are considered the last great fighters of an era that showcased hungry contenders. Crawford asked for the Canelo fight for years, but never pouted when it didn’t happen. Once he finally got an opportunity, he took advantage, and then some.
Crawford used jabs and inside shots to make Canelo uncomfortable. It was rare to see Canelo look like the smaller fighter in a division he has dominated for years.
When Crawford smells blood, he goes for the attack. Think about what happened against Errol Spence Jr. Crawford looked like an unstoppable force against Canelo, landing several head shots and winning via unanimous decision.
“Canelo’s a great champion,’’ Crawford said after the fight. “I got to take my hat off to him. He’s a strong competitor. Like I said before, I got nothing but respect for Canelo. I’m a big fan of Canelo, and he fought like a champion.’’
🐐 Terence Crawford’s belt collection is immense:
👑 Ring Light
👑 WBO Light
👑 Ring Super-Light
👑 WBA Super-Light
👑 WBC Super-Light
👑 IBF Super-Light
👑 WBO Super-Light
👑 Ring Welter
👑 WBA Welter
👑 WBC Welter
👑 IBF Welter
👑 WBO Welter
👑 WBA Super-Welter
👑 Ring… pic.twitter.com/R99B3HKfBQ— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) September 14, 2025
Many supporters sang his praises over the years, with debates on if Crawford or Canelo were the best in the world. Debates between Crawford and Spence were easily figured out on fight night, just like the recent one against Canelo.
For Crawford, it’s just another day at the office.
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It’s unknown what’s next for Crawford, 37, who has done it all.
If he decided to hang up his gloves, nobody would blame him. It would end a career where he beat the likes of Ricky Burns, Viktor Postol, Jose Molina Jr., Jeff Horn, Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan, Kell Brook, Shawn Porter, Errol Spence Jr., Israil Madrimov, and now Canelo Alvarez.
For all the nobodies ✔️@nobodysausage
— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) September 14, 2025
This moment for Crawford is a culmination of a career full of doubters who wrote him off for years. He kept quiet, only showcasing his charisma in the ring.
Including the fight against Canelo, Crawford’s wins and moments have never been gifted. They’ve been earned.
Crawford asked for it, he got it, and did what many thought was unthinkable. He truly is one of one.
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