On September 13th, Terence Crawford didn’t just beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. He outclassed him, out-thought him, and became the first man in the four-belt era to gather undisputed world titles across three weight divisions.
Bud has long been overlooked by boxing casuals, and indeed, he was when heading into this clash, his first at 168 pounds. The majority of his unbeaten career has been spent in the shadows of bigger names, with the July 2023 knockout of Errol Spence Jr. – Crawford’s 40th straight victory – finally earning him his flowers.
Crawford Finally Gets His Dues
For the clash against Canelo, Crawford was somewhat of an afterthought, despite the blockbuster billing by Netflix and Dana White. Many thought that the contest was yet another clash in which the Mexican megastar was doing anything in his power to avoid David Benavidez, just as he had done over the course of the last three years. However, on fight night, Bud proved that he is without question on par with Oleksandr Usyk as the two finest boxers of a generation.
The numbers from that seismic night in Sin City are more than stats—they’re a testament: 115 punches landed to Canelo’s 99, a 45% jab accuracy rate, and a marvel of tactical genius seen by over 70,000 fever-pitched fans at Allegiant Stadium, coupled with millions more on streaming giant Netflix.
Crawford’s dismantling of Alvarez was defined less by sheer force and more by an uncanny ring intelligence. Experts have since called it a masterclass, marveling at Bud’s preternatural calm under fire. A man who, until this bout, had made his name tormenting welterweights exposed the limitations of boxing’s commercial king. Not since Floyd Mayweather’s masterpiece in 2013 had the Mexican icon, now 63-3-2, looked so ordinary.
Now, for the sporting world, a more tantalizing question than how is what follows. What’s next for Terence Crawford? Here are our three most likely opponents.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT… 🥊👀
Terence Crawford stuns the world to become the first ever man to be the undisputed champ in 3 weight classes! 😤#CaneloCrawford
pic.twitter.com/itNrKBsrTG
— Bodog (@BodogCA) September 14, 2025
Canelo Alvarez
Legacy, redemption, and of course, a rematch clause, all ensure that Canelo will have first dibs when it comes to Crawford’s immediate future. The Mexican has the right to a rematch embedded in the contract he penned to fight Bud in the first place, and considering the commercial success of the initial stanza, he could well pull the trigger.
Their September showdown didn’t just break records; it shattered narratives. Crawford, at 37 and giving up both size and the comfort of his natural weight, handed Canelo his first true defeat at super middleweight. Yet the view from Alvarez’s camp is unfinished business: “Who knows?” mused Crawford post-fight, while Canelo’s promoter Turki Alalshikh mapped out a rematch blueprint that could eclipse even their last event’s $100 million revenue.
But the one burning question surrounding any potential rematch is whether the result would be any different? Crawford proved himself to be unquestionably the better technical fighter in the first clash, dominating from the outset. Canelo, while younger in years, has fought some 26 times more than his conqueror and, as such, has taken far more punishment over the years. He will only slow down in the time between now and a second fight, and that could ensure an even wider Crawford victory.
Christian Mbilli
While the blockbusters capture headlines, boxing gods demand that new lions be blooded. Enter Canada’s Christian Mbilli. While the 30-year-old isn’t considered one of the most famous Canadian boxers just yet, a status reserved for the likes of Lennox Lewis and Arturo Gatti, his 28-0-1 record suggests he is well on his way to becoming one of them. If he were to somehow find a way to beat Terence Crawford, then Mbilli would be immediately catapulted to superstardom and perhaps carve his name into the list of the most famous.
On the Canelo-Crawford undercard, there was a feeling that if the undefeated star could handily dispatch Lester Martinez and retain his WBC interim strap, then he may very well be first in line for a clash against the winner. Instead, he labored to a draw, and while that was enough to retain the title, it might not have been enough to secure a shot with Crawford.
With a 75-inch reach and offense-first style, Mbilli somewhat echoes the Mexican Monster David Benavidez—just with less polish and far less size. But it is the latter of those two points that could appeal to Crawford, who himself is punching far above his weight even though he now reigns as the undisputed super middleweight king.
David Benavidez
True greatness is never content with reruns, and the one way that Crawford could really prove that he is twice the fighter of Canelo is if he fought the man that the recently vanquished star has desperately avoided over the last three years, David Benavidez. The Mexican Monster has a perfect 30-0 record, a hulking 6’2” frame, and a knockout percentage that frightens calculators as much as opponents.
The 28-year-old was recently forced to move up to light heavyweight, having been frozen out of the super middleweight title picture by Canelo. He has since gone on to become the WBC champion in the division, putting him on a collision course with Dmitry Bivol, another man who has conquered Alvarez in recent years. However, that potential showdown could be pushed to one side to make way for a mouthwatering moneyspinner against Crawford.
For Crawford, Benavidez is the physical challenge Canelo was supposed to be—relentless, youthful, and a natural at 168 pounds. Yet, as we saw in Las Vegas, it’s not just about brawn. This is the ultimate testing ground for Crawford’s slippery, multi-angle defense and cruelly deceptive offense.
Fights of this magnitude draw more than sporting interest; they lay claim to era-defining status. Saudi promoters are already circling, Riyadh’s glittering arenas await. Benavidez doesn’t just threaten Crawford’s titles—he threatens the myth. A September 2026 collision would be pitched as perfection versus pressure, brains versus brutality. How many people would love to see that?
