Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez lost his undisputed super middleweight championship belts to Terence Crawford on Saturday night. The fight at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas ended with Crawford winning by unanimous decision.
Judges scored the bout 116-112 and 115-113 twice in Crawford's favor. The American boxer used movement and evasion as his main tactics, avoiding prolonged exchanges with Canelo.
Canelo, who played the role of aggressor for most of the fight, struggled to adapt to Crawford's style. After the match, the Mexican champion admitted his difficulties:
"I tried my best, but I couldn't find his style. Maybe I could have hit him more, but my body didn't let me."
Despite the loss, Canelo felt he deserved the victory, saying:
"I was the aggressor, I landed the harder punches and I deserved the victory."
The fight statistics showed Crawford landed 165 out of 558 punches thrown, while Canelo connected with 132 out of 465 attempts. Crawford's higher volume and ability to avoid exchanges seemed to sway the judges' decision.
Some critics argued that Crawford's excessive movement was unfairly rewarded, taking away from Canelo's offensive boxing. The fight only saw significant exchanges in the last two rounds, though without much effectiveness.
Despite the loss, Canelo praised his opponent:
"He's a great fighter. He knows how to move and he has it all."
Looking ahead, Canelo plans to stay at the top of boxing and hopes for a rematch in the future. The 37-year-old Mexican boxer remains determined to reclaim his position in the sport's elite.
