Unveiling Terence Crawford’s Boxing Genius: Inside the Skills That Dominate the Ring

Terence Crawford's career-defining victory over Canelo Alvarez has further cemented his status as a generational great in boxing. This article delves into the nuances of Crawford's fighting style, strategies, and career milestones that have led to his remarkable success.

Crawford's Victory Over Canelo Alvarez

In a highly anticipated match at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Terence Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) achieved what was once considered unthinkable by defeating Canelo Alvarez. The judges Tim Cheatham (115-113), Max De Luca (115-113) and Steve Weisfeld (116-112) all scored the fight in favor of Crawford. This victory made Crawford the first male boxer in the four-belt era to be crowned undisputed champion in three weight classes (junior welterweight, welterweight and super middleweight).

Crawford, who will turn 38 in two weeks, became a world champion in a fifth division before a capacity crowd of 70,482 and further cemented himself as a generational great. Crawford’s career-defining victory occurred in the biggest boxing match held in the United States since Floyd Mayweather beat Manny Pacquiao by unanimous decision in their welterweight title fight 10 years ago at nearby MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“Canelo is a great champion,” Crawford told The Ring’s Max Kellerman following his impressive win. “I’ve got to take my hat off to him. He’s a strong competitor. I’ve got nothing but respect for Canelo. I’m a big fan of Canelo. He fought like a champion.”

Alvarez, 35, lost his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO titles to a perceived smaller fighter who moved up 14 pounds from the junior middleweight division to challenge him. Only Mayweather, undisputed light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol and Crawford have defeated Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) during the Mexican legend’s illustrious 19-year career.

Alvarez lost for the first time at super middleweight in 12 bouts. “I feel great,” Alvarez said. “First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who came to support and has always been behind me. I’m a winner for being here. There is no defeat here. I’ve done everything in my career. I’ve come to take risks, and that’s what I did.”

Crawford, who is ranked third pound-for-pound by The Ring, outlanded Alvarez by 16 punches, according to CompuBox’s unofficial stats. CompuBox counted 115 of 534 punches for Crawford and 99 of 338 for Alvarez, who landed more power punches (83 of 260 to 70 of 208).

“Crawford is a great fighter, a skilled fighter,” Alvarez said. “And I give the credit to Crawford, obviously.”

It seemed by the time the final round began that Alvarez needed a knockout to win. Crawford’s combination caught Alvarez 30 seconds into the 12th round. A left hand by Crawford turned Alvarez’s head around barely a minute into it. For good measure, Crawford clipped Alvarez with one last left hand that knocked him off balance when there were five seconds left.

Unlike most rounds, Crawford stayed in the pocket and traded with Alvarez in the opening minute of the 11th round. Crawford connected with a right hook to the body and a straight left to the head. Alvarez expressed frustration when Crawford stung him with a jab at the halfway point.

Alvarez’s right hand knocked Crawford off balance a little less than a minute into the 10th. Another short right by Alvarez landed with just over 1:20 to go. After failing to engage much in the eighth, Crawford unloaded right hooks and left hands in the opening 20 seconds of the ninth. Alvarez exchanged with him, but Crawford was more effective and landed 33 punches in those three minutes, by far the most in the fight to that point. With his back to the ropes, Crawford tried to tie up Alvarez with 2:25 to go in the ninth. Their heads collided as they wrestled for position and a small cut opened above Crawford’s right eye. It had no impact on the outcome.

The crowd grew restless by the middle minute of the eighth round, when Crawford kept his distance. Alvarez followed him, but he couldn’t cut off the ring. Neither fighter accomplished much in the seventh round. It appeared by then, though, that Crawford was ahead and building on his lead.

Crawford drilled Alvarez with a straight left a little less than 30 seconds into the sixth round. Alvarez then missed with a right hand and Crawford spun around, toward the center of the ring. Referee Thomas Taylor warned Alvarez for a low blow with 1:20 to go in the sixth. A combination by Crawford made Alvarez retreat with just under 35 seconds to go in the sixth. Fans began booing with about 20 seconds to go in the fifth round because that round lacked action. They became entangled near the ropes a few seconds later and Alvarez briefly lifted Crawford off the canvas.

Crawford opened up early in the fourth round, which forced Alvarez to start throwing more punches as well. A straight left by Crawford snapped back Alvarez’s head about 45 seconds into the fourth. A relaxed Crawford smiled at Alvarez as he threw punches in the final minute of the fourth round. A right hand by Alvarez landed with three seconds to go in the fourth, but Crawford shook his head to indicate it didn’t hurt him. Neither fighter landed a significant shot in the third round until Crawford caught Alvarez with a straight left when there were just over 30 seconds to go in it.

A right hook by Crawford connected and forced Alvarez to back up just after the midway mark of the second round. Crawford craftily kept out of Alvarez’s punching range for much of the second round as well. Crawford opened their fight in a southpaw stance and mostly moved away from Alvarez in the first two minutes. He landed a left-right combination with just under a minute to go however, which temporarily made Alvarez stop coming forward and should’ve won him a round that lacked action.

Read also: Potential Crawford-Tszyu Fight

Eleven rounds later, Alvarez addressed losing a showdown he initially resisted because he felt he wouldn’t get credit for winning because Crawford came up so much in weight. He also addressed the possibility of a rematch.

“I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him,” Alvarez said. “If we do it again, it’s going to be great. I’m glad to share the ring with great fighters. I’m glad to be here. I already did a lot in boxing. I already accomplished a lot in boxing. My legacy is already there, and I am still taking risks because I love boxing.”

Key Elements of Crawford's Fighting Style

Crawford's fighting style is characterized by extreme patience, adaptability, and a seemingly unorthodox approach that allows him to have better visibility and react quickly to his opponents' punches. Here are some key elements:

Fighting off the Back Foot: Crawford often fights off the back foot, drawing his opponents into attacking him. As they throw punches, he expertly angles off to create angles of attack while evading their strikes.
Perfect Timing: Crawford has the remarkable ability to time his counters perfectly. He waits for his opponent to initiate an attack, and at that moment, he unleashes a counter-punch to catch them off guard.
Baiting Opponents: To bait his opponents into committing to an attack, Crawford often throws lightning-fast 2-3 punch combinations. If his opponent counters in response, Crawford skillfully counters back with his own precise strikes.
Simultaneous Blocking and Countering: Crawford employs a technique where he catches his opponent's punches with one hand while simultaneously countering with the same hand.
Head-to-Body Combinations: Crawford typically begins his counter-attacks with a punch to the head before shifting his focus to the body.
Countering Jabs: When his opponents throw jabs, Crawford expertly counters with a straight right hand.
Varying Punch Speed: To catch his opponents off guard, Crawford employs a technique where he deliberately slows down his initial punch. By doing so, he entices his opponents to react by slipping or blocking the slowed punch.
Straight Left Hand Bait: Crawford strategically uses a straight left hand to draw his opponents into countering. As they come forward to counter the straight left, he skillfully follows up with a powerful right hook.
Angled Right Hook: In situations where his opponents protect their left side, Crawford angles his right hook to come over their left hand, landing with precision and power.

Training Insights from Stephen "Breadman" Edwards

Boxing mastermind Stephen “Breadman” Edwards provides valuable insights into various aspects of boxing, including training methods and fighter evaluations. Here are some highlights:

Taking Away an Opponent's Legs

Edwards suggests multiple ways to diminish an opponent's mobility:

Body Work: Targeting the body is a well-known method to take away an opponent's legs.
Overusing Legs: Forcing a fighter to move faster and longer than their threshold can handle will deplete their energy.
Disrupting the Spine: Snapping a fighter’s head back with jabs can disrupt the spine, limiting their mobility.

Training to Music

Edwards encourages fighters to train to music, especially during shadowboxing or jumping rope, as boxing is a rhythmic sport. However, he emphasizes that the music should not be too loud, and fighters should not use headphones to ensure they can clearly hear instructions.

Full Terence Crawford documentary | The untold story | No Filter Boxing

Evaluating Ike Quartey

Edwards believes that Ike Quartey should be on the Hall of Fame ballot. Quartey was a WBA champion from 1994-98 and remained undefeated during his prime. Edwards notes that Quartey's fight against Oscar De La Hoya was highly competitive, and he believes Quartey would have edged a fight against Pernell Whitaker in 1998.

Joshua vs. Paul Fight

Edwards notes that the Klitschko fight changed Joshua, turning him from a killer into an over-thinker. He also suggests that Jake Paul should not be underestimated, as he trains extremely hard and takes boxing seriously. Edwards believes Joshua needs to fight with spite and attempt to take Paul's head off his shoulders.

The BoxRope Vol.1

The BoxRope Vol.1 is built from a high-grade PVC rope and weighs about 15% more than traditional jump ropes. The added agility and control it provides allow you to create superior workouts and achieve greater results.

Conclusion

Terence Crawford's journey to becoming a three-division undisputed champion is a testament to his exceptional skill, strategic adaptability, and unwavering determination. His unique fighting style, combined with insights from experienced trainers like Stephen "Breadman" Edwards, provides a comprehensive understanding of what makes Crawford one of the greatest boxers of our time.

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