The match was long-awaited, pitting two skilled boxers against each other. Crawford dominated from start to finish, using his speed, technique, and ability to adapt. Canelo, known as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, couldn't keep up with Crawford's pace or strategy.
Crawford's trainer advised him to fight southpaw instead of orthodox, which proved to be a winning move. After the fight, Crawford explained:
"I've always trained with bigger guys; the smaller guys I intimidated. I used to work on my defense. Fighting at a heavier weight, without having to lose so much, helped me. I wanted to go out with the orthodox stance, but my trainers said that the southpaw would kill him. That's what we did tonight."
Crawford's ability to switch between stances gave him an edge. He neutralized Canelo's wide hooks and used his speed and accuracy effectively. Moving up in weight didn't slow Crawford down at all.
The judges' scorecards clearly showed Crawford's dominance. He's now the new king of the 168-pound division.
After the fight, Crawford showed great sportsmanship. At the post-fight conference, he handed the belts back to Canelo for a moment. This gesture follows an unwritten tradition where new champs let former champs hold the belts one last time. It showed respect for Canelo's career.
This fight proved that while boxers are rivals in the ring, they're colleagues outside of it. Crawford's win cements his place as one of boxing's top stars, while Canelo will need to regroup after this tough loss.