Canelo Álvarez vs Terence Crawford summary: round-by-round, scorecards | Super-middleweight

It seems the fight started on Friday!

Here's a video of the unsavoury scenes from the weigh-in, where two eager fans clashed in view of the actual fighters. Nobody* wants to see that.

*Everybody.

We've got a live poll over on social media

It's Elon Musk's cesspit of doom and danger, but we're using it for good, with a Canelo vs Crawford poll for you to have your say on the matter.

Choose either Canelo or Crawford, and leave your prediction below the line.

Crawford's special gloves for the big night

The Omaha native is set to sport these very flashy Everlast x Off White gloves for the fight against Canelo, and I have to say they look absolutely superb.

Prelims results:

· Jermaine Franklin Jr. defeats Ivan Dychko via 10-round unanimous decision (96-93, 95-94, 97-92)

· Reito Tsutsumi defeats Javier Martinez via first-round TKO (2:18)

· Sultan Almohammed defeats Martin Caraballo via four-round unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36)

· Raiko Santana defeats Steven Nelson via first-round TKO (2:38)

· Marco Verde defeats Sona Akale via second-round TKO (1:11)

· Brandon Adams defeats Serhii Bohachuk via unanimous decision (99-91, 98-92, 98-92).

That's all folks!

Thanksfor following the action tonight from Allegiant Stadium — it did not disappoint!

Make sure to head over to AS USA for all the latest sports coverage from around the world.

Joe

What a sensational battle

Terence Crawford moved up to Canelo's class and carried the weight as though he'd done it all his career.

He landed flurries of punches on his opponent from Round 1, with sublime, tricky movement constantly sending Canelo back to square one and flipping the script on his plan to pin the American into the corner.

At times, Crawford was even beaming from ear to ear, dancing around the ring, sure that his talent and his plan would work together in perfect harmony, as they did. 

He becomes the first fighter in men's boxing to become a three-weight undisputed world champion in the four-belt era and after that performance against the generational talent that is Canelo, he fully deserves the title.

Canelo's first words after the defeat:

"I feel great. I was to thank everyone who came out here tonight. I already won just by being here. I have my family, my coaches, so I won."

"I came here to take risks and test myself."

"If we fight again, it will be great, but I'm glad to be here, I accomplished a lot and I made my dream come true, because I love boxing."

"I feel strong, Crawford is a great fighter, of course I give him the credit tonight."

Crawford's first words as champion:

"Praise to the Lord, I got to give him all the praise. Canelo is a great champion, I have nothing but respect for him, he fought like a champion."

"I don't know [if it is the last fight of his career], I have to sit down and talk about it."

"Thank you to all the supporters, thank you to all the haters, shout out to everyone who came to support Canelo"

Judges' scorecards:

116-112

115-113

115-113

And that's the fight!

We will know the winner in just a few moments!

For me, that was Crawford's fight. He showed more courage, landed more hits, did more damage, and never appeared to get trapped by Canelo's cornering tactics. It was the perfect show of talent, speed, and athleticism from the American fighter.

Boom, boom, boom, Crawford lands a sensational hit that causes Canelo to wobble; the Mexican is in survival mode as the clock ticks down.

Another left comes in from the American that lands square on Canelo's face. 

As we enter the last 20 seconds, a flurry hits Canelo as Crawford breaks into a huge smile.

The bell goes and that is that in Las Vegas!  

To the final round!

Canelo connects a left hook as the fight turns into a bit of a scrap, with tactics going out of the window.

Both fighters land big shots, but Crawford's enthusiasm is causing Canelo problems: the Mexican is exhausted, he's walking and can't get close as he staggers following another hit.

This has been Crawford's best round so far.

Canelo is trying to pressure Crawford into a pickle, but the American fires back with his own shots. 

Crawford's footwork is a problem for Canelo, who can't pin him down in the ring; a three-punch combination flies in from Crawford after dancing out of the final trap before the bell.

If the fighters are separated on the judges' scorecards, it's by a point at most. Both fighters have brought their A-game tonight.

Boxing

The reason the national anthem wasn’t played for Canelo vs Crawford fight

In case you missed it, for the first time in Canelo's career, the bout isn't being shown on major Mexican TV and, even more shocking, there was no national anthems before the fight. Here's more on that.

Canelo comes back into the round with a big, big right hand, and that's more like it from him. Another flurry of shots rains down on Crawford from the champion. The crowd reacts as Crawford fires back.

This is Canelo's round here, no question. Crawford may have used up too much prior to the stoppage. A round of two halves, for sure.

We're back underway after the accidental clash of heads.

WOW! Crawford lands three sensational hits on Canelo's cheek, and the Mexican looks momentarily rattled. 

We get a stoppage after a clash of heads.

Bam, bam, bam, Crawford has an open goal to attack Canelo's body, and does so with gusto. He has landed more than Canelo at this point, and is mixing things up well. 

Canelo tries to up the pressure and set things up for a big punch; he manages to get off a solid body shot of his own as well that echoes throughout the stadium. It's an improvement from the previous rounds, but Crawford looks to be in no immediate danger.

Another solid display from both, and things are as even as they get.

An exchange of blows sets us off in Round 7 and it's Crawford who comes out on top, landing key combinations on Canelo.

Crawford is pushed into the corner and again he finds a way out. His plan is working. 

Nobody has been really hurt so far, but that's another one for Crawford in my book. While Canelo is coping well and dominating the centre, Crawford's precision and movement is edging him ahead.

A fight breaks out in the ring and and Crawford lands a heavy right on Canelo before ducking out of the way and sticking his tongue out at the Mexican.

Canelo responds by forcing Crawford into the corner but again, he's covered in slime and simply worms out of the prison. With half a minute to go, it's Canelo who is smiling after taking a hook to the cheek.

I'm giving that one to Crawford, who might just be ahead as we cross the halfway mark.

Crawford instantly hits back with a left every time Canelo comes in with his right: the Mexican is still controlling the space but his opponent is certainly keeping up with him.

The fighters get tangled up and Canelo almost lifts Crawford out of the ring! That was a suplex!

The bell goes and again, it's as even as Dracula's centre parting.

Some nice combinations from Crawford force Canelo to step back and assess his options; another left lands right in the middle of the Mexican's guard.

Canelo responds with a flurry of body shots but another left comes in and lands, as the crowd get on their feet.

Crawford's smile is infectious and it is not wiped from his face as Canelo connects with a big straight right after some left-handed body shots into the ribs of his opponent.

Canelo's fallback after going in to hit Crawford is stunning, but the American fighter's speed is such that he is finding openings on occasion. It's still a chess match and there's plenty of respect between the two.

Nothing of note just yet, and I was about to give it to Canelo — who is controlling the centre of the ring — until Crawford landed a sublime left hand with seconds to go.

"Keep your guard closed" says Canelo's trainer in the corner, while Crawford's team assure him "you know what you're doing."

Nice movement from Crawford, who keeps his distance from Canelo without allowing himself to get pushed into the corners.

A few body hits from Canelo land in Crawford's ribs, with the response coming in the form of a double jab and a left hook.

Another tentative round, with both fighters' styles clearly on show.

Crawford's left the pick of the bunch there, but it did little against Canelo's stone chin. Round 2 coming up.

Crawford starts with the jab, he knows he can't wait for Canelo to come to him.

A tactical opening stage, as both fighters look to feel out each other; Crawford flips and switches his stance as Canelo takes his time.

Crawford lands a decent left, but the round finishes with both fighters taking the cautious approach.

Round 1 underway!

The crowd is electric!

Do you think Michael Buffer talks like that around the house?

When he's washing up, for example, or when he finishes a cup of tea.

Ouch...

Huge boos from the crowd as Saudi matchmaker Turki Al-Sheikh shows up on the big screen.

Anyway, let's get to the fight!

Crawford is wearing purple gloves, and black, red and green shorts; Canelo sports black and gold gloves with black shorts.

Canelo enters the ring!

We are now just minutes away from the first bell!

Can we have a Royal Rumble between the two bands afterwards? Canelo's team has the weight but I don't think anyone's matching the energy of the first guy who appeared in the funky trousers.

Here comes Canelo!

The Mexican fighter steps out to a deafening thunder of screams and cheers from the crowd as the second round of traditional Mexican music begins.

Crawford enters the ring!

After a brief prayer outside, Crawford races into the ring to a sensational noise from the crowd.

Ring walks underway!

First up, it's Crawford, who arrives onto the scene after a fantastic live performance from a Mexican band. Top tier trolling.

If he has the same amount of energy in the ring as the main singer and his tight leather trousers, he'll do himself proud.

Moments ago...

Crawford was getting into the zone with a bit of Tupac on the speakers.

How the weigh-in went:

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford both weighed in at 167.5 pounds (75.9 kg) ahead of the Las Vegas fight, which is half a pound under the super middleweight limit.

This was quite significant for the latter, as Crawford is jumping up weight divisions as he hopes to become the first man to win undisputed titles in three classes.

A reminder:

This fight will see a number of titles on the line, with all of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC super middleweight world titles, as well as the Ring Magazine title, up for grabs for the winner.

Allegiant Stadium awaits

The 65,000 seater arena is full to the brim and the excitement is electrifying! We're moments away from the ring walks of the two fighters as they go head to head in one of the most hotly anticipated boxing events of the modern era.

We've had to wait a while for this one...

Given the lack of KO wins, we've been slightly delayed with the start of the main event.

· Álvarez vs Crawford (super middleweight)

· Callum Walsh beat Fernando Vargas Jr (super welterweight – co-main event)

· Christian Mbilli vs Lester Martínez - draw (super middleweight)

· MohammedAlakel beat Travis Crawford (lightweight)

What's on the line?

This fight will see a number of titles on the line, with all of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC super middleweight world titles, as well as the Ring Magazine title, up for grabs for the winner.

As far as the prize money goes, it's unclear how much is on offer pre-fight, but the most recent reports suggest that it could reach as high as $150 million. 

It has also been suggested by Crawford himself that he is guaranteed a minimum of $10 million, although that number, once sponsorships and bonuses are calculated, will undoubtedly be much higher.

In May, he told the ‘Ring Champs with Ak & Barak’ podcast: “I got $10million for that [Canelo] fight ... I’m doing it for the opportunity, baby, the legacy. The legacy outweighs the money.”

The Mexican, for his part, is about to earn a minimum of $100m, thanks to a four-fight deal worth a reported $400m with Riyadh Season, of which this fight is part.

Added to that, a purse worth $200m is the accepted fee both fighters will split this weekend, with Canelo taking $150m and Crawford pocketing $50m.

The viewers have had their say

You have had your say and it's Canelo who is the favourite to win the 'fight of the century'.

And now... we know who's next!

CANELO ÁLVAREZ vs CRAWFORD IS COMING UP!

WALSH WINS!

As expected, the Irishman takes a unanimous victory after a sensationally measured performance.

To the judges!

Vargas Jr. knows he needs to win this via knockout, and he comes out like a bull in a china shop, opening himself up for Walsh to land back.

Walsh steps back, lowers his hands, and moves out of range, all before leaning in and flashing punches into Vargas Jr.'s defensive shell.

Both fighters land and the bell dings, with a happy reaction from both who share a hug.

Vargas Jr. gets told by his trainer that "you're not winning, you need to hurry up", but it is Walsh who comes out flying, landing a number of body shots on his opponent. 

Vargas Jr. remains standing as Walsh gets off around 8 punches to no reply, and this is comfortable viewing from the pubs in southwest Ireland.

He looks incredibly cool here, and finishes with a flurry.

It's incredibly solid boxing from Callum Walsh as he measures his distances well, keeps alert, and lands when he needs to: we're being treated to a superb technical performance from a boxer who is in his groove.

A big left lands on Varjas Jr.'s chin as we enter the final 30 seconds and it is just getting away from him as the bell dings.

Walsh takes a couple of hits but the craic is still mighty as far as he's concerned.

SLAP. The left hand from Walsh lands hard but Vargas Jr. stands strong. He won't want many more of those to come in.

Another round for the Irishman on my scorecard: Vargas Jr. can't get close enough to do anything significant on his opponent.

Vargas Jr. is coming into his own, despite not landing many hits. Walsh's reach is still the difference here, and is still in the ascendancy.

A couple of good lefts land from Vargas Jr., who has his best round so far.

However, right on the bell, Walsh lands a superb left hook, slapping the fun out of that round for his rival.

"No more" comes the warning to Vargas Jr. from the referee as the two fighters retire to their respective corners.

Halfway through, and Walsh is still dictating the way this fight is going with his long jab.

Some more below the belt hits from Vargas Jr. who is looking increasingly out of options.

"That's the last one," says the referee...

Boom, boom, boom, Walsh flies out of his corner and looks right at home as he looks to break down Vargas Jr.'s shell.

El Feroz (Jr) responds with a left hook that lands and that's a positive sign from him. Walsh got too close.

A couple of big combinations from the Irishman connect s he asserts his dominance, and Vargas Jr. gets another warning for a low blow. 

That was a clear win for the Cork native.

Walsh has found his range with those long arms that would make Slenderman feel conscious; he's also about as agile as a bunny rabbit on a hot stove, and is flitting around the ring with delight, keeping out of the reach of the man opposite him.

No big hits to report so far in this one.

Walsh comes out of his shell and starts to attack Vargas Jr., landing some tentative yet solid hits on his opponent before retreating.

Round two passes by without anything to report from Vargas Jr., who looked content to keep himself in the race and tire out Walsh.

A settled opening, with both fighters figuring each other out, like when two dogs meet and sniff the behinds of each other.

Walsh goes down but it was a slip, not a knockdown. He laughs it off.

And we're off!

Walsh and Vargas Jr. get us going in Las Vegas.

Who's fighting next?

Callum Walsh is a proud Irishman from County Cork, where you can have four seasons of weather in one day. The 24-year-old has a 14-0 record with 11 knockouts. "It's crazy to fight alongside Canelo and Crawford, but I've worked hard for this. I want to be a world star."

Vargas Jr. is the son of 'El Feroz', and has a 17-0 record with 15 knockouts under his belt. Born in California in 1996, Vargas Jr. wants to write his own history. He began to box after coming out of prison: "I came out of jail and dedicated myself to boxing, there was no plan b."

Callum Walsh vs Fernando Vargas Jr. coming up!

The two undefeated fighters will go head to head shortly.

IT'S A DRAW!!!

The final judge went with a 95-95 scorecard which sees the draw given between Mbilli and Martínez!

Fight over!

That was a sensational effort from both fighters who put on a show for the fans.

Martínez probably had the better of the shots early on in the round, but Mbilli did connect with those flurries as the clock ticked on. 

A SENSATIONAL left hand from Mbilli almost sees Martínez collapse to the floor, but the Guatemalan responds with a cracker of a right and the bout ends with both fighters giving it their all!

Gun to my head and I'm going with Mbilli, but that's pure instinct and I wouldn't be surprised if the judges went the other way.

Lester is immediately pushed onto the ropes, but manages to connect with a solid right hand. However, as is the way with this fight, every time one fighter lands, their opponent immediately repays them the favour.

The Guatemalan hits a left/right combo as the crowd get out their seats, they thought that was it!

However, we are going to see a tenth round!

Mbilli forced into defensive mode as Lester unleashes a furry of hits. But he's leaning in with his head and the referee gives the fighters another brief reminder.

A big right lands from Mbilli, the first in a while, who manages to finally turn the pressure up on his opponent.

A late uppercut/right hand combination finds Mbilli's skull as the clock ticks down: someone has clearly turned the transformer up to 14 as the energy levels are back for both.

Mbilli looks exhausted but he's landing hits on Lester, who has not crumbled under the pressure of the ludicrous combinations when they have come in.

A head clash comes in from the part of the Guatemalan, who gets a warning from the referee. While we've not seen many land in this round, I am almost scared to look down at my keyboard in case I miss the split-second in which someone lands the knockout blow.

It seems that Martínez is responding with a mirror image of Mbilli's shots every time the Cameroonian goes for the quickfire combination.

The Guatemalan then lands a sloshing right hand over the top before the two engage in a sensational exchange of punches. This could go either way.

Both are in this fight and if it goes all the way, it's anyone's guess.

This is an incredibly tight fight. Mbilli's aggression is almost overwhelming, but Martínez is controlling himselfwell when pushed onto the ropes — he does not want to get caught in the trap.

A nice Mbilli uppercut lands but Lester stands strong, despite the fatigue. He responds with a one-two of his own; I think I can see some swelling on Mbilli's eye.

While Mbilli is perhaps landing the cleaner shots, Martínez is very consistent with his uppercuts, which are landing well. 

Mbilli is constantly looking to push his opponent towards the ropes before unleashing his signature forest fire of combinations, but he is looking more fatigued by the second. 

Canelo vs Crawford set to make boxing history

In an interview with KSNV News 3 Las Vegas, promotor Dana White confirmed that the card at Allegiant Stadium has surpassed nearly every boxing event in gate revenue, trailing only two defining blockbusters of the past decade: Mayweather–Pacquiao (2015) and Mayweather–McGregor (2017).

The numbers put into perspective the scale of what will unfold Saturday in Las Vegas. Mayweather–Pacquiao set the all-time record with $72.2 million at the gate. Two years later, Mayweather–McGregor brought in $55.4 million. Until now, the third spot belonged to the first meeting between Canelo Álvarez and Gennady Golovkin, which generated $27.1 million.

That record is already history. Tonight's showdown at Allegiant Stadium has sold to capacity—65,000 seats—without a single dollar from pay-per-view sales. It is already the third-highest-grossing boxing event ever.

Some sloppy hits appear from both fighters and Martínez looks like he's beginning to enjoy himself. Mbilli's power is always there, however, and the punches that are landing are doing damage.

Both land uppercuts of their own to groans from the crowd, and the bell goes as fans stand to watch for the potential finishing blow from Mbilli's late flurry of force.

"Keep and eye on Martínez's guard" comes the advice from Mbilli's corner.

Round two picks up where they left off, with wild punches flying in from all angles. 

We're seeing a lot of forearm pushing right as Martínez lands two solid hits, one right hand and an uppercut. Mbilli responds with typical gusto.

It's like a Disney-scripted fight, with fireworks, sparks, and unicorns all flying around the ring: combinations are being back up by combinations, and the crowd are on their feet!

Mike Tyson has his say...

Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion from the 1990s, appeared on Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Big Podcast’ and stated that he would like to see Crawford win, but he doesn’t think it’s possible. Mainly because Canelo has a strong punch and is very intelligent.

“It’s complicated. I want Crawford to win, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen,” Tyson said. “I’d like it to happen, but this guy (Canelo) has a strong punch, he’s a smart fighter. I just want to get in there and see what happens.”

“There have been upsets like this before. Henry Armstrong moved up to 124 pounds and beat the 146-pound champion,” Tyson explained. “So you never know. Anything can happen in the ring.”

Mbilli wastes no time in landing some heavy body shots on his opponent before Lester fightsback to a huge noise from the crowd.

The Cameroon-born fighter lands a solid left before crunching Martínez's face with a right hander. A response comes back with a nice uppercut —  this fight, if it carries on like this, will be a classic!

Martínez gets a stern telling off at the end for a late punch as the bell went.

We are underway!

Martínez vs Mbilli, here we go!

Ringwalks underway for Martínez and Mbilli

Not long to go until fight 2 of the main card.

Believe it or not...

It seems hard to believe, but neither fighter, across more than 100 fights, have ever been officially knocked down to the ground by their opponent.

Two stars collide

WNBA star Angel Reese meets Terence Crawford in his dressing room ahead of the big fight.

Up next...

Christian Mbilli vs Lester Martínez (super middleweight)

Who's got the better knockout percentage?

Terence Crawford’s 75.6% knockout rate stands out as a marker of his finishing ability, especially given that much of his career has been spent at the elite level, where clean stoppages are harder to come by.

By comparison, Canelo Álvarez’s 61.9% knockout rate reflects a different type of dominance, he's more about precision and ring control.

Either way, each statistic underscores why they are considered among the best pound-for-pound fighters of their era.

ALAKEL WINS

The Saudi wins by unanimous decision, and I'd have to say I agree.

He looks absolutely delighted.

Meanwhile...

High in the stands, Mr Beast has just taken a whopping body shot from Iron Mike.

It's all over... to the judges!

Crawford continues to press, but his energy levels look to have fallen off a cliff.

Alakel is keeping his distance after that wobble in the previous round, and he's right to do so.

Saved by the bell!

Crawford is still smiling as he takes a few hits from Alakel; he even had the Saudi on the ropes but was unable to take advantage of the good position he had worked for himself.

In the final seconds Crawford opens fire on Alakel, with the Saudi looking for his saviour in the crowd right as the bell calls time on Round 9. While the score cards may not be positive for Crawford, it is still all to play for if he can land the final hit.

Here's how it all started...

Both fighters started at a very young age, eventually moving into the professional game where they have made their names as two of the most talented, versatile, and dangerous fighters the world has ever seen.

Canelo sits on a 63-2-2, 39 KOs record and has won 11 world titles across four weight classes; Crawford, undefeated, has a 41-0, 31 KOs record and is looking to become the first men's boxer to achieve undisputed status in three weight classes.

Alakel hits a nice uppercut, as we've seen a few times so far, but Crawford is still standing, to his credit.

Exhaustion may be setting in with some very sloppy hitsbeing thrown by both fighters, but I'd say Alakel is the more comfortable of the two as the dance continues.

Boom! Crawford lands a big hook and the tide may be turning here.

Alakel responds with a nice jab, and these last few rounds have been a lot more even.

While Crawford has visible wear and tear, he's giving it his all and has certainly evened things up.

Keep in mind

Remember, Alakel has never even fought an 8-round fight, so his stamina will perhaps be a key factor the deeper we go...

Wakey, wakey, Crawford is here!

Some decent hits from the Texan pushes the Saudi into the corner once, twice, three times, and that's probably the first round I'd be tempted to give to him today. Not bad...

Having said that, Alakel didn't look in danger at any point.

The energy levels have dropped as we cross the halfway point in the fight, and Crawford managed to get a couple of shots through Alakel's defence as he leaned on the ropes.

Crawford has just started to belled from the nose, let's see if Alakel steps up the aggression...

Both fighters are in the stadium!

The clock is ticking...

TERENCE CRAWFORD ARRIVES AT ALLEGIANT STADIUM

And that's the biggest noise of the night so far!

Crawford caught Alakel's left hander on the chin, and had a bit of a moment in the following seconds. He recovered and looks OK now, but this is pretty spot on from the young Saudi.

The Texas native needs to try something different to corner his opponent and push him back into a position where he can begin to land some combinations.

Alakel, however, cannot get complacent as we approach halfway. Having said that, he's showing no signs of it whatsoever, with solid evasive movement when Crawford does step forward.

What Crawford had to say pre-fight:

The jab-right hand combo from the Saudi is working well against Crawford, who managed himself to land a solid right in the middle of the round.

It's still tipped towards Alakel for me, who looks a little less desperate to make things work in the ring at this point.

Crawford's face is as red as a lobster who's just called his school teacher 'mom' by mistake, and that's entirely down to Alakel's superb management of the distance between them.

Crawford has opened up this round, and managed to land a solid right hand before his opponent caught him with an upppercut. A much more balanced round.

AI has its say...

According to Copilot’s analytical model, the favorite is Canelo Álvarez, who has proven experience at super middleweight (168 lbs). By contrast, Crawford will have to step up two divisions from his usual weight.

The AI also highlighted that the Mexican lands more body shots than his opponent, a factor tipping the balance in his favor. As a result, Álvarez is given a 64.5% chance of victory, while Crawford’s probability stands at 35.5%.

Alakel vs Crawford

Alakel took that one for me, he was more positive than Crawford, who had to deal with defending a constant jab from his opponent. A solid round for the Asian fighter.

We've got the first of the main card fights coming up!

Álvarez vs Crawford (super middleweight)
Callum Walsh vs Fernando Vargas Jr (super welterweight – co-main event)
Christian Mbilli vs Lester Martínez (super middleweight)
Mohammed Alakel vs Travis Crawford (lightweight)

Boxing

Who will be in Canelo Alvarez’s corner in the fight against Terence Crawford?

Álvarez, who turned 35 in the summer, has been the undisputed force at 168 pounds for years, and much of that stability comes from his long-time trainer and confidant, Eddy Reynoso.

The Guadalajara native has been in Álvarez’s corner since his teens, masterminding his rise from Mexican prospect to global pay-per-view king. Reynoso’s calm authority and tactical acumen will again take centre stage on Saturday, setting the rhythm for Álvarez’s combinations and counters.

Beside him will be father and gym founder José “Chepo” Reynoso, the man who first nurtured Álvarez’s professional career and continues to provide support. Together, the Reynoso team has built one of the most successful training outfits in boxing.

I am lost for words...

I suppose Vegas is the gambling capital of the world, but I would not — were I to own anywhere near $2 million — I would not be placing it on a boxing match!

Allegiant Stadium is filling up nicely...

While we're not at full capacity just yet, the fans are certainly flying in from all sides as the noise levels rise.

The prelims are over...

Before we get to the main card, here's how Brandon Adams shook Bohachuk with a neat left hand.

How much money will each fighter get?

At the time of writing, which is obviously pre-fight, it’s unclear how much is in the prize purse for the two fighters, but the most recent reports suggest that it could reach as high as $150 million.

It has also been suggested by Crawford himself that he is guaranteed a minimum of $10 million, although that number, once sponsorships and bonuses are calculated, will undoubtedly be much higher.

In May, he told the ‘Ring Champs with Ak & Barak’ podcast: “I got $10million for that [Canelo] fight ... I’m doing it for the opportunity, baby, the legacy. The legacy outweighs the money.”

The Mexican, for his part, is about to earn a minimum of $100m, thanks to a four-fight deal worth a reported $400m with Riyadh Season, of which this fight is part.

Added to that, a purse worth $200m is the accepted fee both fighters will split this weekend, with Canelo taking $150m and Crawford pocketing $50m.

Which titles are on the line?

This fight will see a number of titles on the line, with all of the WBO, WBA, IBF, and WBC super middleweight world titles, as well as the Ring Magazine title, up for grabs for the winner.

Oleksandr Usyk has his say...

"Canelo is stronger, he punches strong, but Crawford, he's smart...if he knows he's not in a good position, he can switch and work. In boxing, you work in one position, Crawford is the only guy who does both."

— Ring Magazine

What time is the fight?

The fight card begins at 8 p.m. ET, though the main event between Canelo and Crawford is expected to start between 9:30 and 10 p.m.

This is how Canelo turned up to the weigh-in on Friday

I must admit, he looked pretty cool for a fighter going up against Crawford in a few hours' time. I'd have been shaking like a nervous puppy.

The weigh-in:

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford both weighed in at 167.5 pounds (75.9 kg) ahead of the Las Vegas fight, which is half a pound under the super middleweight limit.

This was quite significant for the latter, as Crawford is jumping up from super welterweight as he hopes to become the first man to win undisputed titles in three weight classes.

Who is Terence Crawford?

Terence “Bud” Crawford was born on September 28, 1987, in Omaha, Nebraska, and is nowadays widely considered one of the most complete fighters of the modern era.

He began his pro career in 2008, rising step by step until his breakout year in 2014, when he captured the WBO lightweight title. Crawford went on to become the undisputed junior welterweight champion in 2017, unifying all four major belts, and later moved up to welterweight, where he captured and defended the WBO title.

 In 2023, he cemented his legacy by defeating Errol Spence Jr. to become the first undisputed welterweight champion of the four-belt era, securing undisputed status in a second weight class.

Today is another huge test for the Nebraska native.

Who is Canelo Álvarez?

Santos Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez Barragán is one of the world’s greatest fighters. Born on July 18, 1990, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, he turned professional at just 15 years old and quickly climbed through the ranks with his mix of slick defence, precise counterpunching, and knockout power.

After dominating the Mexican circuit, he broke into the U.S. market under Golden Boy Promotions, where his popularity skyrocketed thanks to his style and charisma inside and outside of the ring. His first major defeat came against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013 but from there he’s moved on to become one of the greatest of all time.

Where is the fight being held?

Where is the fight being held?

The fight is being held at the 65,000-seater AllegiantStadium, home to everyone’s favourite Las Vegas-based NFL team, the Raiders.

As expected, the venue has been sold out for weeks, with ringside tickets going for prices in their thousands — nobody in the world of boxing wants to miss out on this one!

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the AS USA live feed of what many are calling ‘the fight of the century’: Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez vs Terence Crawford!

Over 100 professional fights between them, 8 titles, 70 knockout wins, zero official knockdowns, more than 100 wins — we’re in for a treat.

It’s Joe here to guide you through the fight, round by round, as it happens in Las Vegas.