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Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, the pride of Jalisco, Mexico, and Omaha’s unbeaten southpaw Terence “Bud” Crawford are set to collide this Saturday, September 14, in what has rightly been billed as one of the biggest fights of 2025. Two modern-day icons, ranked No. 8 and No. 3 respectively on ESPN’s current pound-for-pound Top Ten, will square off with the undisputed super middleweight championship on the line.
The showdown lands at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home of the NFL’s Raiders, a venue that can pack in anywhere from 55,000 to 72,000 fans. The card kicks off at 3 p.m. local time, with the main event expected to begin around 11 p.m. to midnight Eastern. Canelo, 35, enters as the reigning undisputed champion at 168 pounds—a division he made history in by unifying all four major belts. Over his career, he’s also held world titles at welterweight, junior middleweight, and even light heavyweight. With a pro ledger of 63-2-2 and 39 knockouts, Canelo debuted at just 15 years old, scoring a four-round win over Abraham González back in 2005.
Crawford, 37 (he turns 38 later this month), brings an unblemished record of 41-0 with 31 knockouts. A crafty southpaw with blazing hand and foot speed, Bud has already conquered lightweight, junior welterweight, and welterweight, and currently holds a WBA belt at junior middleweight. In recent years, though, his activity has slowed—just four fights in the last four years: Shawn Porter (TKO 10, Nov. 2021), David Avanesyan (TKO 6, Dec. 2022), Errol Spence Jr. (TKO 9, July 2023), and Israil Madrimov (UD 12, Aug. 2024).
Canelo, by contrast, has been busier—nine fights over the same span. His run includes wins over Caleb Plant, Gennadiy Golovkin, John Ryder, Jermell Charlo, Jaime Munguía, Edgar Berlanga, and most recently William Scull. His only setback in that stretch came against Dmitry Bivol in 2022, a decision loss at light heavyweight.
Power vs. Skill
Saturday’s clash boils down to a classic contrast: the raw power of Canelo against the slick skill of Crawford. Most observers expect Bud to box at range, using his movement and counterpunching to blunt Álvarez’s offense. Canelo, meanwhile, will look to cut off the ring and test Crawford’s chin with his trademark right hand and punishing left hook.
The oddsmakers lean slightly toward Canelo, aided by his size advantage. At 5’9”, he stands a bit taller than Crawford and, perhaps more importantly, is the natural super middleweight in this matchup. As the old saying goes: “A good big man beats a good little man.” Whether that boxing axiom holds true once again remains to be seen—but one thing’s certain: Las Vegas is bracing for a fight that could define an era.
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