Fallout from Terence Crawford’s huge win over Canelo Álvarez

The new undisputed champion at super middleweight (168 pounds), Terence “Bud” Crawford, who outclassed Saul “Canelo” Álvarez on Saturday, said there is a new face of boxing. 

His case is hard to dispute, but the one hole is that he fights once a year. That’s been the case since 2020, perhaps keeping him fresh. Hopefully it doesn’t continue because Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) is likely the best of his era, and the public needs more.

Crawford said at his post-fight press conference that he would not go back down to junior middleweight (154 pounds) when asked. At a different interview, he entertained the idea of fighting at middleweight (160 pounds).

Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) said he’s here to take risks in his post-fight comments in the ring, but he left doubt that he wants a rematch. When asked about one, he said, “I’m glad to share the ring with great fighters, and I’m glad to be here. I already did a lot in boxing…” He included that it would be great if it happened again.

Crawford said he is open to a rematch, which would do massive numbers just as this one did. Yet, Canelo is at a crossroads in the second half of his career. The judges saw it close on Saturday (116-112, 115-113, 115-113), but it wasn’t. Crawford is the superior boxer with faster feet, whom Canelo could not hurt. Another go-around would likely produce the same ending.

He could continue to make big fights at super middleweight that would help his résumé, but they won’t have the same quality if titles aren’t involved. The risky move worthy of respect would be his third move up to light heavyweight, finally squaring off with WBC champion David Benavidez.

At one point, a fight between Canelo and Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) was the top fight to make at 168 pounds. It would still be one of the biggest at 175 and this scribe’s preferred choice. Canelo and Benavidez could be a savage affair because the latter has wanted to take him out in his quest to become number one in the sport.

Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) said leaving while Allegiant Stadium that it would be an honor to share the ring with Crawford. If there’s no rematch from Saturday’s super fight, a fade between Crawford and Sheeraz is the most interesting in the division, even more so than Sheeraz versus Álvarez, which Turki Alalshik, the head of Riyadh Season and owner of The Ring magazine, has called for.

Sheeraz, age 26 from England, and standing at 6-foot-3 with a 75-inch reach, has one fight at super middleweight: his fifth-round annihilation of Edgar Berlanga. His half-foot height advantage and edge of one inch in reach could make for an interesting puzzle for Crawford to solve.