On September thirteenth, Terence Crawford didn’t simply beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. He outclassed him, out-thought him, and have become the primary man within the four-belt period to collect undisputed world titles throughout three weight divisions.
Bud has lengthy been missed by boxing casuals, and certainly, he was when heading into this conflict, his first at 168 kilos. Nearly all of his unbeaten profession has been spent within the shadows of larger names, with the July 2023 knockout of Errol Spence Jr. – Crawford’s fortieth straight victory – lastly incomes him his flowers.
Crawford Lastly Will get His Dues
For the conflict towards Canelo, Crawford was considerably of an afterthought, regardless of the blockbuster billing by Netflix and Dana White. Many thought that the competition was yet one more conflict wherein the Mexican megastar was doing something in his energy to keep away from David Benavidez, simply as he had finished over the course of the final three years. Nevertheless, on combat evening, Bud proved that he’s with out query on par with Oleksandr Usyk as the 2 best boxers of a technology.
The numbers from that seismic evening in Sin Metropolis are greater than stats—they’re a testomony: 115 punches landed to Canelo’s 99, a forty five% jab accuracy price, and a marvel of tactical genius seen by over 70,000 fever-pitched followers at Allegiant Stadium, coupled with hundreds of thousands extra on streaming large Netflix.
Crawford’s dismantling of Alvarez was outlined much less by sheer drive and extra by an uncanny ring intelligence. Specialists have since referred to as it a masterclass, marveling at Bud’s preternatural calm below hearth. A person who, till this bout, had made his identify tormenting welterweights uncovered the constraints of boxing’s industrial king. Not since Floyd Mayweather’s masterpiece in 2013 had the Mexican icon, now 63-3-2, appeared so peculiar.
Now, for the sporting world, a extra tantalizing query than how is what follows. What’s subsequent for Terence Crawford? Listed here are our three most certainly opponents.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT… 🥊👀
Terence Crawford stuns the world to turn into the primary ever man to be the undisputed champ in 3 weight courses! 😤#CaneloCrawford
pic.twitter.com/itNrKBsrTG
— Bodog (@BodogCA) September 14, 2025
Canelo Alvarez
Legacy, redemption, and naturally, a rematch clause, all be sure that Canelo may have first dibs on the subject of Crawford’s instant future. The Mexican has the appropriate to a rematch embedded within the contract he penned to combat Bud within the first place, and contemplating the industrial success of the preliminary stanza, he may effectively pull the set off.
Their September showdown didn’t simply break data; it shattered narratives. Crawford, at 37 and giving up each measurement and the consolation of his pure weight, handed Canelo his first true defeat at tremendous middleweight. But the view from Alvarez’s camp is unfinished enterprise: “Who is aware of?” mused Crawford post-fight, whereas Canelo’s promoter Turki Alalshikh mapped out a rematch blueprint that might eclipse even their final occasion’s $100 million income.
However the one burning query surrounding any potential rematch is whether or not the consequence can be any completely different? Crawford proved himself to be unquestionably the higher technical fighter within the first conflict, dominating from the outset. Canelo, whereas youthful in years, has fought some 26 occasions greater than his conqueror and, as such, has taken way more punishment through the years. He’ll solely decelerate within the time between now and a second combat, and that might guarantee an excellent wider Crawford victory.
Christian Mbilli
Whereas the blockbusters seize headlines, boxing gods demand that new lions be blooded. Enter Canada’s Christian Mbilli. Whereas the 30-year-old isn’t thought-about one of the well-known Canadian boxers simply but, a standing reserved for the likes of Lennox Lewis and Arturo Gatti, his 28-0-1 report suggests he’s effectively on his technique to changing into considered one of them. If he have been to by some means discover a technique to beat Terence Crawford, then Mbilli can be instantly catapulted to superstardom and maybe carve his identify into the record of essentially the most well-known.
On the Canelo-Crawford undercard, there was a sense that if the undefeated star may handily dispatch Lester Martinez and retain his WBC interim strap, then he might very effectively be first in line for a conflict towards the winner. As an alternative, he labored to a draw, and whereas that was sufficient to retain the title, it won’t have been sufficient to safe a shot with Crawford.
With a 75-inch attain and offense-first model, Mbilli considerably echoes the Mexican Monster David Benavidez—simply with much less polish and much much less measurement. However it’s the latter of these two factors that might attraction to Crawford, who himself is punching far above his weight despite the fact that he now reigns because the undisputed tremendous middleweight king.
David Benavidez
True greatness isn’t content material with reruns, and the a method that Crawford may actually show that he’s twice the fighter of Canelo is that if he fought the person that the not too long ago vanquished star has desperately prevented during the last three years, David Benavidez. The Mexican Monster has an ideal 30-0 report, a hulking 6’2” body, and a knockout proportion that frightens calculators as a lot as opponents.
The 28-year-old was not too long ago compelled to maneuver as much as mild heavyweight, having been frozen out of the tremendous middleweight title image by Canelo. He has since gone on to turn into the WBC champion within the division, placing him on a collision course with Dmitry Bivol, one other man who has conquered Alvarez in recent times. Nevertheless, that potential showdown could possibly be pushed to 1 aspect to make method for a mouthwatering moneyspinner towards Crawford.
For Crawford, Benavidez is the bodily problem Canelo was alleged to be—relentless, youthful, and a pure at 168 kilos. But, as we noticed in Las Vegas, it’s not nearly brawn. That is the last word testing floor for Crawford’s slippery, multi-angle protection and cruelly misleading offense.
Fights of this magnitude draw greater than sporting curiosity; they lay declare to era-defining standing. Saudi promoters are already circling, Riyadh’s glittering arenas await. Benavidez doesn’t simply threaten Crawford’s titles—he threatens the parable. A September 2026 collision can be pitched as perfection versus stress, brains versus brutality. How many individuals would like to see that?
