What weight class and titles are at stake in the Canelo vs Crawford fight?
By @codecamcode
What weight class and titles are at stake in the Canelo vs Crawford fight?
The fight will be contested at super middleweight (168 pounds), with Canelo Álvarez’s undisputed super middleweight championship on the line (). This means all of Canelo’s 168-lb title belts (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF, plus The Ring championship) are up for grabs in one shot. It’s the weight class where Canelo has reigned supreme since 2021, and it’s three divisions above the weight where Crawford became undisputed (147 lbs). There is no catchweight – Crawford agreed to come all the way up to 168, making this challenge even more daring.
For context, Canelo is the first fighter to be undisputed at super middleweight in the four-belt era, achieving that feat in 2021. Terence Crawford, meanwhile, has been the undisputed champ at welterweight (147) and previously at junior welter (140). By moving to 168, Crawford is attempting to become a champion in a fourth weight class (he previously held a title at lightweight 135 as well), and if he wins, he’d join an extremely elite club of men to win titles across four divisions and be the first man ever to hold undisputed titles in three different classes.
So the official stakes: Undisputed Super Middleweight Championship of the World. Canelo enters as the defending champion with all the belts. Crawford enters technically as a challenger in the 168-lb division (he currently isn’t champion at 168, of course). Crawford did pick up a title at 154 (WBA belt) and even an interim title at 160 in his run-up to this fight, but those won’t be on the line here. In fact, by fight night, Crawford may have vacated his 147 titles (since he can’t realistically defend them after moving up), meaning this fight is all about Canelo’s hardware.
Beyond belts, bragging rights as boxing’s pound-for-pound #1 is arguably on the line. Both men are highly ranked P4P (Crawford #1 or #2 in many lists after beating Spence, Canelo in the top 5). The winner can lay claim to being the singular top dog in the sport. And for Crawford, victory would mean simultaneously being an undisputed champion in two divisions at once (147 and 168) – something unprecedented, though likely he’d relinquish the lower weight titles thereafter.
In summary: Canelo’s 168-pound crown is the prize. If Crawford wins, he instantly becomes the undisputed super middleweight champion. If Canelo wins, he not only retains status as undisputed at 168 but also gains the legacy of defeating a fellow undisputed champ. It’s a high-risk, high-reward scenario for both.
(Sources: Fight announcement confirming 168 lbs undisputed title on the line; ESPN noting Crawford’s titles and move up.)