Terence Crawford completely silenced his critics in front of a record-breaking crowd of 70,482 at Allegiant Stadium—the largest boxing audience in the city’s history. The 37-year-old star moved up two weight classes to defeat Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, handing him only the third loss of his career. The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, all in Crawford’s favor, improving his record to an undefeated 42-0 with 31 knockouts. The former two-division undisputed champion dominated over 12 rounds, outworking Alvarez to claim the undisputed title in a third weight class.

The buzz from Crawford’s win even reached the NBA, with legends reacting to his masterclass. Shaquille O’Neal kept it low-key, just posting the victory on his Instagram Story. Already the first man of the four-belt era to unify titles in two weight classes, Crawford now adds a third—a feat unseen in modern boxing. With world titles spanning 135 to 154 pounds and now a fifth at 168, he’s firmly stepped into the all-time realm of fearless weight-jumpers, joining legends like Harry Greb, Henry Armstrong, Roberto Durán, and Manny Pacquiao.

Kevin Garnett joined the hype, posting in his story, “ANDDD THE NEWWWWW😤😤😤😤😤🫡🫡🫡💯💯💯💯 TEAM BUDDDDD 💯💯🫡” and later sharing the winner announcement with, “👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 TOLD U…”—classic fan energy. Early rounds saw Alvarez trying to land hard counterpunches and body shots, while Crawford forced the bigger fighter onto defense. By Round 4, Alvarez connected with some solid punches, but Crawford’s speed and technique let him land the fight’s most telling blows, keeping Alvarez on the outside and potshotting while avoiding heavier power shots. As the fight progressed, Crawford’s precision began showing on Alvarez’s face, and despite Alvarez’s stalking and trapping attempts, nothing seemed to faze him.

Lance Stephenson joined the celebration, posting Crawford’s win with, “Congratulations Well deserved brother.” The sixth round turned the fight around as Crawford started holding his ground, landing crisp left hands that visibly affected Alvarez. He grew more confident, using slick footwork and picking his moments to strike, out-throwing and out-landing the champion. Alvarez struggled to keep up as Crawford’s precision took over, and the crowd’s early “Ca-ne-lo!” chants slowly shifted, often replaced by loud “Craw-ford!” cheers.

Chris Paul joined the hype, sharing Crawford’s win on his story with, “HELL YEA BUD!!” Round 9 saw an accidental headbutt as Alvarez’s head clashed with Crawford’s, but Crawford stayed locked in, landing clean shots and keeping Alvarez on the back foot. In the championship rounds, Alvarez chased him, yet Crawford continued landing the more telling blows. Every time Alvarez connected with a solid punch, Crawford fired back with sharp combinations, clearly showing who was in control.

Paul Pierce was clearly the most hyped, sharing a video of himself watching the exact moment Crawford was announced the winner. Rooting for Crawford, he shouted, “We know who won this, don’t cheat us,” as the referee held both fighters’ hands. He later posted another clip of Crawford being crowned with the championship belts, yelling, “We got all the straps.” In the final two rounds, Alvarez tried to push the action, but Crawford met him in the center, landing the more telling blows. After 12 intense rounds, Crawford secured a clear victory by unanimous decision.

“I’d just like to say, thank you,” Crawford said after his big win. “Thank you to all the supporters. To all the haters. I’m happy he gets to make it home to his children, and I get to make it home to my children.” He didn’t rule out that this could be his last fight, adding, “Like I said before, I gotta sit down with my team.” Alvarez stayed positive too, saying, “I feel great. The fact that I’m here already makes me a winner,” reflecting on how taking consistent risks has cemented his place in boxing history. The hype around the fight was unreal, especially among NBA legends—probably because they and Terence were all connected through one person: Michael Jordan.

The competitive edge: Terence Crawford, Michael Jordan, and the making of champions

Before Crawford’s big night, commentator Max Kellerman didn’t hold back, putting Terence in the same conversation as Michael Jordan. “He’s athletic, he has long arms, he has punching power, he has speed—all those things. He has a very high boxing IQ, but the defining characteristic of Crawford to me as an athlete is he has a defective competitive personality, defective, competitive. The other athlete that comes to mind is Michael Jordan. Bud Crawford wants to beat you at everything all the time and he competes against everyone…” And honestly, when you look at Crawford’s stats—undefeated at 41-0 with 31 knockouts, 19-0 in world title fights, 76% KO rate—it’s clear his so-called “defective” competitive edge isn’t just talk. He lives it in the ring.

Jordan’s story, though in a different sport, shares that same fire. Drafted by the Bulls in 1984, the team immediately recognized his talent and built unique strategies to push him physically and mentally. As MJ himself said to Ahmad Rashad, “We train to be the best at what we do. And sometimes, to be the best, you gotta step on people. Not step on, literally, but I mean, in terms of winning and dominating.” From day one, Jordan refused to be satisfied with being just good or great—he wanted the absolute best. Practices were brutal tests of his patience and skill, often designed to frustrate him, like switching him to the losing team mid-scrimmage. Instead of breaking him, it fueled him. As Roland Lazenby put it, “the angrier he got, the harder he played.” Every obstacle, every challenge became fuel for his fire.

Both Terence Crawford and Michael Jordan were shaped by family, but in very different ways. Crawford’s mother, Debbie, used tough love to forge his spirit, staging neighborhood fights and pushing him to prove himself, so winning wasn’t just about belts—it was about validation. Jordan, on the other hand, had a steadier guiding hand from his father, James, who gave support, wisdom, and direction. When his father’s life was tragically cut short, MJ channeled his grief into everything he did, even stepping into baseball, a sport his dad loved. Both stories show that greatness often starts at home, shaped by love, expectation, and a drive that refuses to quit, whether in the ring or on the court.