Terence Crawford shocks Alvarez, becomes new super middleweight king

Terence Crawford defied the odds and silenced the doubters after defeating Saul “Canelo” Alvarez via unanimous decision to capture the undisputed super middleweight championship, Sunday (PH time) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Crawford showcased his trademark patience and precision early, working behind a jab from a southpaw stance and firing crisp combinations to keep Alvarez at bay. Canelo, as expected, marched forward and targeted the body, but most of his punches were blocked.

By the middle rounds, Crawford began matching Alvarez in close exchanges, refusing to back down from the firefight. In the ninth, Crawford rocked the Mexican star with clean combinations upstairs. Moments later, an accidental clash of heads opened a cut above Crawford’s right eye that briefly halted the action.

Knowing he is possibly behind, Alvarez pressed the action in the championship rounds, but Crawford did not shy away from trading leather toe to toe.

Both fighters fought with urgency in the 12th and final round, with Crawford getting the better of the exchange until the final bell. All three judges saw the fight for Crawford, the scorecards 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, improving his perfect record to 42-0 with 31 knockouts.

It was a historic win for Crawford as he became the first lightweight champion in history to win a world title at super middleweight on top of becoming the first three-division undisputed champion in the four-belt era.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News