Welcome to Breaking Down The Bout. In this blog, I’ll be talking about the biggest and most anticipated combat sports bouts the industry has to offer. I’ll be discussing the buildup, the bout itself, and what comes next in the sport.
The Background and Buildup
Two weeks ago, two boxing legends stepped in the ring for tens of millions around the world to witness a breathtaking show.
The undisputed Champion Canelo Alvarez has picked up championship belts in four different weight classes since the 20 years he’s been professionally boxing. He put his belts on the line at the super middleweight division against the highly technical challenger Terence Crawford in what would become the second most-viewed boxing match of the century. The twelve-round superfight, which both boxers officially agreed upon in early February of this year, had been talked about for years, sparking debate about who would come out on top.
While Canelo has been known to be the bigger boxer, posing a significant strength advantage, Crawford is recognized for his quick counter punches and elite distance management. This clash of skill and experience was a significant contributor as to why this fight was labeled as the ultimate determiner of greatness in the modern era of the sport.
The Bout
The first few rounds had little action, with both boxers remaining fairly conservative. However, Crawford came out aggressively in the fourth round, cementing a strong start. This gave him the confidence and momentum that he needed to beat the Mexican powerhouse, Canelo Alvarez. However, the next few rounds were a total display of boxing mastery on both sides. With decades of experience under the spotlight, both Canelo and Crawford fought hard through the middle rounds. While Canelo landed the more impactful blows, Crawford maintained a successful pace and quickly countered Canelo’s forward movement. Going into the final four rounds, however, Canelo was looking like he was losing the fight. Still, he has been known to retain his powerful punches even into the last rounds of his matches, making him dangerous for Crawford at all times. Unfortunately for Canelo, though, Crawford’s defense was impenetrable. Crawford began to shine in the later rounds, landing more blows all around. Canelo showed visible frustration, even appearing to disengage from Crawford and casually walk away from him in the middle of a round. While the break was short-lived, Canelo was unable to find any sort of success as Crawford dominated the final rounds.
The conclusion
All three judges unanimously decided that Crawford won the bout. Two of the three judges concluded that Crawford won seven of the twelve rounds, while the other gave Crawford eight rounds. Ultimately, the fighting pride of Omaha, Nebraska, Terence Crawford, took home the belts to become the new undisputed champion of the super middleweight division. While this is a hard loss for Canelo, people have shown him a massive outpouring of support, and there is no doubt he will be back to fight again. While the next challenger of Crawford is unknown, many believe this victory has cemented his place in the top five boxers of all time.
Thank you for tuning in to the very first post of Breaking Down the Bout. This historic matchup is sure to permanently change the landscape of the sport. What do you think is next for the two legendary boxers? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
