A night that boxing fans will remember for the rest of their lives. A night that pitted two titans of the game against one another. The night that Terrence “Bud” Crawford beat Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and dethroned the undisputed champion of the super middleweight division.
In the lead-up to the fight, the hype among fans was palpable. Canelo was one of the kings of this boxing era, sporting a 63-2-2 record and consistently fighting the best for over a decade. Having only sustained losses to Floyd Mayweather, the arguable GOAT of boxing, and Demitri Bivol, the champion of the light-heavyweight division, Alvarez’s legacy is unquestionable.
Bud, on the other hand, didn’t carry the same weight behind his name. While unquestionably the star of modern boxing, holding a 41-0-0 record and the super-welterweight and welterweight titles, his legacy lacks the unshakable nature of Canelo or any other boxing legends. Leading up to the match, many saw Crawford’s bout with Alvarez as the first time Bud would be challenged. His 41-0 record, while impressive, lacked wins against potential hall of famers or household names.
With so much at stake, and with wide access via Netflix, the fight blew up, gaining around 41 million viewers, making it the most watched championship match in the 21st century. The fight did not disappoint and although Crawford won by unanimous decision, it was by no means a dominant victory. Every round was close, and going into the final two rounds, two of the three judges had Canelo only down by 2 points, leaving the match to be decided in its penultimate moment.
The highlight of the match was Bud’s slick defense, however, as he masterfully slipped jab after jab, avoiding Canelo’s power and tiring him out. With Crawford moving up two weight classes for the fight, Alvarez was seemingly the favorite. Yet Crawford’s patience won him the night, counterpunching and punishing Canelo’s big swings, while dancing away from brutal attacks.
The fight was a masterpiece for the sport, cementing the legacy of one of the biggest names in the current era, and crowning a new king in the super-middleweight division. The only question that remains is what to do next. Alvarez had dominated the division for years, beating down any challenger to the point where no one could now step up and challenge Crawford. If no challenger emerges, a rematch seems like the only next step.
This dethroning has shaken the boxing world, upsetting the balance, and perhaps ushering in a new era of champions.
