A Budding All-Time Great

Terence Crawford via ghettoradio.ca

The illustrious history of boxing dates all the way back to 1971, when the fight of the century took place between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Since then, countless classics have occurred, from Mike Tyson versus Evander Holyfield to Floyd Mayweather versus 

Manny Pacquiao. On September 13th, another historic matchup was added to boxing's enriched history.

The now three-time undisputed champion of the world, the only ever in boxing history, Terence “Bud” Crawford, defeated former champion and all-time great, Saúl Canelo Álvarez.

To put this fight into context, no fighter has ever attempted to jump three weight classes in the pursuit of undisputed status. Furthermore, it was a clash of two top ten pound-for-pound fighters.

The sport of boxing has been under lots of scrutiny lately, for its inability to match up top fighters with each other. So when Dana White and Turki Al-Sheikh came together to form the fight of the decade, fans had no choice but to tune in.

Regarding the fight, it was pure domination by Bud. Heading into the contest, there wasn’t a single person on earth who doubted Crawford’s skill. The greatest switch-hitter of all time possessed flawless technique unmatched by anyone on earth; however, his lack of size posed potential issues for fans. Holding undisputed titles at 140 and 147 pounds is impressive, but jumping up to 168 to fight the greatest super-middleweight the sport has ever seen? Fans didn’t give him a shot. Canelo would be too big, too powerful, and too overwhelming for the Nebraska native.

Yet what we witnessed on Saturday night was a fighter who is now arguably deemed one of the top five of all time. Bud dominated Canelo from start to finish.

As the fight began, the Mexican’s plan was clear: walk down the smaller fighter, cut off the ring, and find the shot to end the battle. One of Canelo’s signature weapons is his left hook. This punch has won him countless world titles, and as the fight began, Canelo continuously tried to dig into Crawford’s body, forcing an adjustment.

Another signature attribute has been Canelo’s ability to fatigue opponents, constantly punching arms and shoulders, in the eventuality that fighters will lower their hands, leaving their head exposed.

However, against a technician like Bud, Canelo’s left hook was rendered useless. Crawford seemingly knew what Canelo would do before he did, countering significant strikes with multiple sharp punches of his own. The theme of the fight was, Canelo gives one, Bud gives two or three right back. Furthermore, Crawford’s footwork was impeccable the entire fight, circling around the outside of the ring, never putting himself in any danger. 

As the fight headed into the latter stages, it was clear Canelo was frustrated. Having world-class power and technique is an asset, but if you can’t hit your opponent, it doesn't matter. Crawford was never hurt. He was never in danger. He didn’t even find himself on the losing end of an exchange.

As the fight came to a close, the outcome was clear. Terence Crawford had made history. The scorecards were a formality. Bud had accomplished a feat nobody had ever come close to. Five divisions. Three-division undisputed champion. And now, the Ring Magazine and undisputed super-middleweight champion of the world.

Who would’ve thought? An underdog from the streets of Omaha, Nebraska, is now immortalized in boxing history. If Bud decides to ride off into the sunset, no one will blame him. He’s done everything there is to do. His resume is unblemished. His legacy is unparalleled.

And now, fans will be forced to include Terence “Bud” Crawford’s name when speaking about the greatest fighters in our planet's history.