Crawford beats Alvarez to become three division undisputed champion

American boxer Terence Crawford pulled off a stunning upset on Sunday morning after defeating undisputed super-middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Álvarez by unanimous decision at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the United States

In a thrilling contest that went the full distance, Crawford dominated the early exchanges, troubling Canelo through the first seven rounds before the Mexican star fought back in the closing stages.

The judges scored the bout 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 in Crawford’s favour.

Crawford (42-0) moved up two weight divisions to face Canelo (63-3-2), and his victory makes him the first male boxer in the four-belt era to become undisputed champion in three different weight classes.

According to The New York Times, Crawford has now held all four titles at light-welterweight, welterweight, and super-middleweight.

The American, who remains unbeaten, added Canelo’s name to a glittering list of victims that includes Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, and Kell Brook.

In an interview with a Netflix reporter while reflecting on his victory, Crawford said, “Canelo is a great champion. I have nothing but respect for him, and he fought like a champion today.”

When asked about his future in the sport, he added, “Like I said before, I don’t know. I’ll sit down with my team and talk about it. I’d just like to say: thank you. Thank you to all of my supporters and all of my haters. I appreciate all of you. Shout out to everybody who came to support Canelo, and I’m happy that he gets to make it home to his children.”

Speaking with Netflix reporter, Álvarez, gracious in defeat, praised his opponent and insisted he remains proud of his career.

“I’m a winner for being here. There is no defeat here. I take risks and that’s what I have done,” he said.

On the possibility of a rematch, he said, “I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him. If we do it again, it will be great. I already accomplished a lot in boxing, and my legacy is already there, so I take risks because I like boxing.

“I feel great, I feel strong. Crawford is a great fighter, a skilled fighter, and I have to give the credit to him.”