Terence Crawford became the undisputed champion in the super middleweight division after beating Canelo Alvarez. The win cements Crawford's place in boxing history and sparks discussions about his potential status as the greatest of all time.
Crawford's victory marks an incredible achievement. He's now the undisputed champion in three divisions, making him the first boxer in the four-belt era to pull off this feat. On top of that, he's won titles in five weight classes: lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, super welterweight, and now super middleweight. This puts him just one class behind Manny Pacquiao's record of six, counting only the main four organizations' belts.
Known as "Bud" throughout his career, some fans are now calling for a new nickname: "GOAT". Crawford's undefeated status and his emphasis on skill over raw punching power have set him apart in the current era of boxing.
After the fight, Crawford said:
"I'm not here by chance. Canelo is a great champion. I take my hat off to him; he's a great competitor and I have a lot of respect for him. He fought like a champion."
Canelo, despite the loss, showed respect for his opponent and pride in his own career:
"I feel great. I want to thank everyone who came to support me. I'm a winner for being here. The fact that I'm here makes me a winner. I take risks and that's what I did. I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him."
Crawford's win came with a $50 million purse. At nearly 38 years old, he's uncertain about his future plans. He mentioned he'll discuss options with his team, but there's potential for one or two more fights, possibly with even bigger paydays.
The boxing world now sees Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk as the top champions of this era. Both remain undefeated and have shown that skill can trump punching power. Usyk, who reigned at cruiserweight and is now the heavyweight champion for the second time, seems to have run out of big-name opponents.
Canelo Alvarez, despite criticism from some, has fought more frequently than Usyk and Crawford in recent years. He remains a significant figure in the sport, with Canelo saying after the fight:
"If we do it again, it will be great. I have already achieved a lot in boxing. My legacy is already there and I like to take risks because I love boxing. I feel strong. Crawford is a great fighter, a skilled fighter."
Crawford's win over Canelo allowed him to collect all of Canelo's titles in one fight, a common method of title collection in boxing. As the dust settles on this historic bout, the boxing world waits to see what's next for both these legendary fighters.
