What are Canelo Alvarez's accomplishments and status heading into this fight?

What are Canelo Alvarez's accomplishments and status heading into this fight?

Saul "Canelo" Álvarez comes into this bout as a modern legend of the sport. Here are the key highlights of Canelo's career and status:

• Multiple-Division Champion: Canelo is a four-division world champion (he's held titles at 154 lbs, 160 lbs, 168 lbs, and 175 lbs). He's the current undisputed champion at super middleweight (168 lbs), holding all four major belts.

• Professional Record: As of mid-2025, Canelo's record is an astounding 63-2-2, with 39 knockouts. The only two losses in his career were to Floyd Mayweather Jr. (2013) and Dmitry Bivol (2022) – both elite fighters. Since the loss to Bivol, Canelo has rebounded with a string of victories (six in a row), reasserting his dominance.

• Notable Wins: Canelo's résumé glitters with big names. He owns wins over hall-of-famers and champions such as Gennadiy "GGG" Golovkin (twice), Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Daniel Jacobs, Sergey Kovalev, Jermell Charlo, and others. These victories across multiple weight classes cemented his pound-for-pound status.

• Undisputed Reign: In 2021, he became the first undisputed super middleweight champ by unifying all belts (defeating Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders, and Caleb Plant along the way). After a brief hiccup moving up to light heavyweight (losing to Bivol), he refocused on 168 lbs. An interesting note: he became a "two-time" undisputed 168 champ in May 2025 by regaining the IBF belt (which he had been stripped of) in a win over William Scull. That fight, while lackluster in action, ensured Canelo entered the Crawford bout once again holding every title.

• Style and Strengths: Canelo is known for his explosive counterpunching, body shots, and granite chin. He's a stocky 5'8" but uses excellent head movement and defense (a lot learned from the Mayweather fight) to slip punches and deliver power counters. He's also greatly improved his stamina and ring IQ over the years. At 34 going on 35, Canelo has a wealth of experience with 67 fights – rare for a fighter of his age in modern boxing.

• Current Form: Some critics have pointed out that Canelo's recent fights were a bit underwhelming in excitement. For instance, he coasted to victory against John Ryder and Jermell Charlo, and against William Scull he threw unusually low volume. Nonetheless, he won all those fights clearly. The upside is he's largely been untouched in recent bouts, avoiding wars and preserving his body. He insists he's still at his peak, and the competitive fire is back for a challenge like Crawford.

In short, Canelo enters this fight as the bigger man with superstar credentials: a seasoned champion who has basically done it all, except face a fellow pound-for-pound elite of significantly smaller size. Beating Crawford would further burnish Canelo's legacy as one of the all-time greats, while a loss would be a major upset given Canelo's stature. Either way, his accomplishments have already made him an icon – and this fight is an opportunity to add perhaps the biggest chapter yet to his legacy.

(Sources: Official press release summary of Canelo's achievements; ESPN recap of recent fights and record.)