“Canelo”, without a crown

“Canelo” Alvarez hadn’t been without a belt since 2015. But after losing Saturday to Terence Crawford for the unified super middleweight championship, Alvarez (63-3-2) finds himself without a title for the first time in 10 years.

Crawford (42-0) was masterful in everything he did, dominating the 12-round bout in front of a record crowd of 70,482 fans inside Allegiant Stadium. Álvarez, meanwhile, didn't look like the dominant fighter he had been for most of his nearly 20-year career.

“We already knew Crawford was a great fighter, and I did what I was supposed to do,” Alvarez said. “I tried everything I could and trained very hard. He deserves all the credit. I did my best tonight, and I just couldn’t figure out the style.”

Without qualities

Unlike past performances, when even a slow start didn't diminish Canelo's power and his attacks in the later rounds, the 35-year-old Guadalajara native seemed disoriented at times when he usually turns the ring into his playground.

It was especially alarming because his challenger is almost three years older, and it raises the question of whether Álvarez's best days are behind him.

When asked if there was anything specific Crawford did that caused him more problems, Alvarez was direct.

“Everything,” he said.

The conversation might have been different if Álvarez had challenged Crawford with his left hooks to the body or straight punches to the head. But Álvarez was visibly slower; he seemed frustrated at times as Crawford gained momentum, and it was the Mexican superstar who looked the older fighter against a fighter who will soon turn 38.

Lethargy

It wasn't until the fourth round that Canelo landed his first significant punch, and it wasn't until the fifth that the fight became competitive. But even when the former champion activated his strategy, Crawford improved, as in the seventh when he snapped Canelo's head back with a vicious punch.

Despite the dominant performance, Crawford refused to disrespect Saúl Álvarez.

“I was definitely frustrated because what I was trying to do wasn’t working,” said Crawford, who returned to the post-fight press conference to share a moment with Álvarez on stage.

"But I don't think you're giving him enough credit, trying to take things away from him. He was 100% prepared. I just think I was the better man."— AP

After the fight details

Even though Saúl Álvarez no longer holds a championship belt, he said he will always feel like a champion.

"But I'm still the king"

“I win no matter what,” Álvarez said. “No matter what, I still feel like the champion. It is what it is. You have to accept defeat and accept everything. But I'm going to keep going. I'm going to keep doing it.”

Crawford's gesture

After the press conference, as a show of respect for "Canelo," Crawford returned the belts to the Guadalajara native, leaving a postcard that went viral on social media and earned him applause from many.

Gamblers

For the highly anticipated fight in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr. shared his bet with a photo on his official Instagram account. This time, the former Michigan-born boxer decided to bet $50,000 on Terence Crawford's victory over "Canelo" Álvarez.

Lose 100 thousand dollars

Many bettors favored the Mexican, who was the bookmakers' favorite. However, the result made it clear that nothing is guaranteed in boxing. Such was the case with Paulo Chavira, a Mexican influencer who revealed he lost $100,000 (almost 2 million pesos) betting on "Canelo" to win.