Crawford emerged victorious after 12 rounds of intense action. The judges scored the bout 115-113, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of the Nebraska-born fighter.
Netflix streamed the fight, making it accessible to subscribers at no extra cost. The streaming giant's gamble paid off big time. The event attracted 41.4 million viewers, becoming the most-watched men's boxing championship this century.
This massive audience dwarfed previous pay-per-view records. For comparison, the 2015 Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, which held the U.S. record, pulled in 4.6 million buys. Canelo's past bouts against Golovkin in 2017 and 2018 drew 1.3 million and 1.1 million purchases respectively.
The success of this event marks a shift in boxing distribution. Fans got to watch a high-profile match without the usual $80-$100 price tag of pay-per-view events. This new model could change how boxing reaches its audience in the future.
CRAWFORD-CANELO WAS MUST WATCH
Bleacher Report's statement captures the global appeal of the event. The match generated astronomical revenue, reflecting the star power of both boxers.
This fight will go down in history as one of boxing's most captivating events. It proved that when great fighters meet in the ring, and fans get easy access to watch, magic happens.