CRAWFORD VS. CANELO RESULTS, VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS & POST PRESSER
He Waited Two Years For This Fight! The Night Belongs to 42-0 Terence Crawford
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (September 14th, 2025)– A historic night. Bud Crawford had been campaigning for two years for this bout. Crawford is now a three-division undisputed champion, having transitioned from lightweight to super middleweight, from 140 to 168 pounds, with patience and skill, navigating the treacherous political and promotional waters of boxing. Crawford remained confident and resilient, demonstrating mental toughness despite periods of relative inactivity in his career.
Two weeks short of age 38, Terence Crawford did not just make history; he defied it. According to ringside commentator Antonio Tarver, Canelo Alvarez needed to get off aggressively early. However, if he allowed Terence Crawford to get into his groove, he would have an issue. In the main event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday night, September 13, 2025, Terence Crawford won the undisputed World Super Middleweight title by scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113.
Crawford, 42-0 with 31 knockouts, Omaha, Nebraska, now holds the WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine World Super Middleweight title. Alvarez, 63-3-2 with 39 knockouts, Sherman Oaks, California, by way of Guadalajara, Mexico, went home empty-handed.
The bout was not as close as the controversial scoring indicated, controversial because the scoring was still somewhat pro-Canelo in what amounted to a Bud Crawford masterclass. Real Combat Media scored the bout neutral and fair for Crawford, 118-110, who built an early lead by outpunching, outworking, and outmaneuvering Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and never looking back. Crawford had a reach advantage, and like Dmitriy Bivol, used his advantage brilliantly. Sporting News also scored it 118-110 for Crawford.
During the last four championship rounds, which were rounds 9 through 12, Canelo clearly looked frustrated and discouraged, getting outworked at close quarters and was getting beat to the punch.
Crawford averaged 46.5 punches per round to 39.6 for Alvarez. Crawford landed 15.4 punches her round, to 14.3 for Alvarez. Crawford landed 115 of 534 punches shots, while Alvarez landed 99 of 338 punches. Crawford landed more power shots, 83 to 70, and more jabs 45 to 16. Bud threw more and landed more, while Canelo was more accurate in what he threw. Source: CompuBox at https://api2.compuboxdata.com/round-stats/15676
Alvarez threw single hard shots. Crawford threw more combinations, head shots and jabs, using reach advantage. Crawford moved up three weight classes for all purposes of interpretation, and should appear a strong fighter. Terence trained for this bout for one year, carrying his weight effectively, according to Tarver. Neither fighter was significantly hurt in this fight.
In round nine, an accidental head butt from Canelo caused a small cut above Crawford’s right eye. The cut did not figure into the bout. Canelo had Crawford on the ropes, and tried to grab for the ropes when the butt occurred. Other than that moment, the entire bout appeared totally clean. Clinches occurred in certain tight spots, but not often.
In the second half of the bout, Bud outmuscled Canelo, rocking him frequently, and not leaving a target for Canelo to find. In the last two rounds, Canelo tried to mix it in close, but Bud gave more than he took and would not budge. All the more extraordinary because the bout was not fought at a catch weight. Bud’s weigh-in of 167.5 matched Canelo’s weigh-in of 167.5 right before the bout, even Steven, but not in terms of raw ability and talent.
Canelo’s approach of using Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as a sparring partner to mimic Crawford’s style was unsuccessful, as Crawford ricocheted between the orthodox and southpaw stance, though a natural southpaw. Canelo does not switch off stances. Bud fought his rhythm and had no ‘Plan B’. Much was made of Bud’s 12-round win over Israil Madrimov for the WBC Interim World Super Welterweight title last year. However, Bud simply changed gears and outboxed Madrimov in the higher weight class. Crawford adapted to Canelo also. Canelo’s right eye was red, while Bud appeared unmarked, undaunted by anything Canelo threw.
Canelo might have had better luck slugging it out with Bud. During the entire bout, Bud’s jabs and power shots were mostly aimed at the head. Significant body work on Canelo proved too difficult, as Canelo landed 51 body shots to Canelo’s 23. If Terence were to win, Terence would have to put on a technical clinic, and he did so, adjusting to Canelo’s style. Crawford’s super performance was helped by pinpoint combinations and jab combinations in close, flurries to which Canelo had no answer. Canelo landed only 32 percent of his power shots, after averaging 46 percent in his previous bouts. Canelo took 115 punches to land 99, which meant in a mega bout of this magnitude, his accuracy was far short of the mark. At 5’9″ with 3 and a half inches of advantage, Crawford was slightly more effective than Canelo at 5’7″ and a 70 ½ inches reach. As with Bivol, Canelo was at a height and reach disadvantage against an established world champion from another weight class of equal or better ability, and could not overcome it.
This Las Vegas bout was the Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Wilfredo Benitez type of draw of the decade, and it reinforced Turki Alalshikh’s reputation as a super promoter. Purse-wise, Canelo was above 150 million dollars to Bud’s ten million dollars. Wisconsin referee Thomas Taylor kept the bout clean. There were no fouls and no knockdowns.
Despite the closeness of the scoring, the bout did not appear close. Crawford was not in trouble at any time, and the cut from the accidental butt did not put Crawford in jeopardy. Every claim made by the critics was proven wrong by Crawford, and the successful weight jump up in class by Crawford was the best since Sugar Ray Robinson and Floyd moved up from welterweight to middleweight.
Undercard Results:
Sultan Almohammed (Pro Debut) Won by decision in four rounds over Martin Caraballo, Super Featherweights
Opening bout on Allegiant Vegas card. Pro debut for Saudi Arabia’s Almohammed.
Marco Verde won by TKO in four rounds over Sona Akale (1:11)
3-0 Sinaloa Mexico middleweight southpaw Verde had 9-4 Akale down in round one.
Reito Tsutsumi won by TKO in one round over Javier Martinez, Super Featherweights (2:18)
3-0 Tokyo Japan super featherweight prospect Tsutsumi is worthy of better opposition.
Mohammed Alakel Won by decision in 10 rounds over Travis Crawford, Super Featherweights
6-0 Abel Sanchez super featherweight prospect goes the distance for first time over 7-4 Travis Crawford (no relation to Terence Crawford).
Raiko Santana stopped Steven Nelson in one round, Super Middleweights (2:39)
Surprise! 13-4 Cuban disappointment ‘El Corojo’ Santana exposes 20-1 ‘So Cold’ Nelson.
Jermaine Franklin Jr. Won in 10 rounds over Ivan Dychko, Heavyweights.
24-2 Franklin exposes 15-0 Kazakhstan’s Dychko, who had a point deducted by referee Harvey Dock for excessive holding in round eight. Scoring: 97-92, 96-93, 95-94 for Franklin.
Callum Walsh Won in 10 rounds over Fernando Vargas Jr., Super Welterweights
15-0 Irish southpaw prospect Walsh had no respect for 17-0 Vargas, son of a famous name.
Christian Mbilli Split Drew in 10 rounds with Lester Martinez, Super Middleweights
29-0 Mbilli and 19-0 Martinez draw in one of a kind rare world championship 10 rounder. Mbilli retains WBC interim World Super Middleweight title, perhaps making him a possible future next challenger for Bud Crawford.
Brandon Adams Won in 10 rounds over Serhii Bohachuk, Middleweights
Hot and cold California boxer Adams defeats Bohachuk for the second by scores of 99-91, 98-92, 98-92. Adams stopped Bohachuk in Guaynabo, Mexico, in the eighth round of a WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight title bout. This bout was fought at middleweight.
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