Terence Crawford finally got a chance to prove he’s the greatest fighter of his generation on Saturday night when he beat Canelo Alvarez via unanimous decision from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada (watch the highlights here).
Crawford took the fight with 116-112 and 115-113×2 scores, pulling away from Canelo as the fight continued and his superior footwork and defense became apparent. Canelo was left looking frustrated as “Bud” continued to evade his offense while responding with counter-punching
that stunned the Mexican fighter multiple times.
In the post-fight press conference, Crawford made the win sound like an inevitability, not a massive underdog victory from a B-side that stepped up multiple weight classes.
“When I set my sights on doing something and I know what I’m capable of, it’s not like a surprise to me,” the only three division undisputed champion in boxing history said. “It’s a surprise to y’all because y’all didn’t believe me. You know? But for me, I knew I could do it, and I believed that I could do it. I just needed the opportunity.”
Crawford was clearly happy to get a win that cemented him as an all time great in the eyes of even the haters.
“It means it means a lot to me because anybody can beat a nobody, and that’s all they say,” he said. “I’ve been fighting these nobodies. So what can they say now? Somebody tell me what can you say now.”
“Great things come to those who wait. The cream always rise to the top. All the time that they blocked me out, they said I won’t fight nobody. I can’t beat this dude. I can’t beat that dude. Every time that I got a chance, I wipe the floor with them. Wipe the floor with them. So just imagine where I would have been at today if I had got them opportunities a long time ago.”
“But then again, it wasn’t my time,” he added. “My time is now, and I’m happy that everything played out the way it did. And then you’re looking at the undisputed champion of the world right now.”
As for how Canelo felt in the ring, Crawford said he wasn’t as big or powerful as everyone said he’d be.
“I was stronger, I punched harder,” Crawford said. “A lot of people put too much into me moving up in weight and things like that. But like I told y’all once before, Canelo is not a big guy. He’s a smaller guy fighting in a big weight class.”
“Me and him is practically almost the same height. I’m a little taller. My arms longer than him. He got a little wider frame, but he’s a little shorter. All in all, we’re around the same size. So by y’all saying, ‘Oh, Canelo is this massive size,’ it was kinda like disrespect.”
“Bud” continued to keep his future plans a mystery, but he didn’t shut down a rematch against Canelo Alvarez.
“I’m open to whatever, you know?” he said. “Imma a sit back, enjoy my victory with my team, and, you know, I had my birthday in two weeks, since I’m old, everyone.”
