Terence Crawford Stuns Canelo Alvarez, Becomes First Male Three-Division Undisputed Champion

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by Butch Belga

Terence Crawford (left) beats undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Terence Crawford (left) beats undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez. Photo: X.

Terence “Bud” Crawford just etched his name deeper into boxing immortality. The Omaha native (42-0, 31 KOs) outboxed Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) on Saturday night (Sunday afternoon in PH Time) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, claiming a unanimous decision by scores of 116-112, 115-113, 115-113. 

In doing so, Crawford became the first male fighter in history to achieve undisputed status in three different weight divisions.

From the opening bell, it was a chess match between two pound-for-pound greats. Canelo, naturally the bigger man at super middleweight, looked to slow Crawford with his trademark body shots. But Crawford, locked in as a southpaw all night, countered with crisp jabs, sharp combinations, and his uncanny timing that has become his trademark.

As the rounds unfolded, the story became clear: Alvarez was the aggressor, but Crawford was the surgeon. Whenever Canelo tried to corner him or dig to the ribs, Crawford slipped, pivoted, and punished him with pinpoint counters upstairs. By the middle rounds, it was Bud who looked fresher, faster, and sharper.

Round 7 stood out as a momentum swing. Instead of circling away, Crawford planted his feet and went punch-for-punch with Canelo in the pocket—only to beat him at his own game. From there, confidence flowed, and the fight tilted unmistakably in Bud’s favor.

Even an accidental head clash in Round 9 couldn’t derail Crawford’s rhythm. He stayed disciplined, sticking behind his jab, sliding out of danger, and picking Canelo apart with accurate counters that kept the Mexican icon a step behind all night.

In the championship rounds, Canelo pressed desperately, but every rally was met with a Crawford answer. The final two frames saw Bud not only survive but dominate, standing in the center and landing the sharper, cleaner shots that sealed the victory beyond debate.

Canelo vs Crawford.
Canelo vs Crawford. Photo: BBC.

For Alvarez, it’s a crushing setback. For Crawford, it’s legacy-defining. Undefeated, undisputed in three divisions, and still showing no signs of slowing down at 37 years old.

On a night when history demanded a defining performance, Terence Crawford delivered one for the ages.