Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion
Last night’s Riyadh Season/Netflix Main Event between Undisputed Super Middleweight IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Champion Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 30 Kos) and Former two- Division Undisputed Champion and four-time Division Champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (42-0, 31 Kos), surpassed all my expectations by the way things unravelled at the Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas.
This wasn’t a passing of the torch but rather a forceful “Takeover” at the hands of Crawford who systematically disarmed the “Kingpin” on Mexican Independence weekend, in front of
70, 000 fans, possibly the biggest stage he could have performed on in Las Vegas.
I personally anticipated a competitive bout from start to finish but what ‘Bud” brought inside that squared circle was very impressive. Real Talk! If Crawford was a Rubik’s Cube, Canelo had no clue or the proper “game plan” to solve the puzzle.
‘Bud” the smaller man who was moving up in weight, asserted himself quite well and stood his ground and fought the bully toe-to-toe while showing absolutely no fear as the rounds progressed. Crawford boxed and moved and kept his hands busy enough to stop Canelo from ever finding a good enough rhythm to mount a suitable attack.
Crawford’s respectable power and punch output was key to carrying out their bullet proof “game plan” that had Canelo bewildered and confused round by round. Crawford had the look of a man on a mission and never folded at any time during the bout. He stayed cool and under control at all times.
At the completion of the bout the Judges at hand scored it 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 unanimously for Terence “Bud” Crawford.
This was a career-defining historical moment where Terence Crawford became the first male combatant to be Undisputed Champion across three weight Divisions in the four-belt era. He slayed the reigning “Kingpin” and snatched away all the jewels of the IBF/WBA/WBC/WBO/Ring Magazine Championships to now become the Undisputed King of the Super Middleweight Division.
Congratulations Terence, you have definitely placed your name and accomplishments in the GOAT debate, hands down!
Blaze
