Now retired from professional boxing, Terence Crawford recently spoke with YouTube host Adin Ross about his career and his victory over Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.
The unanimous-decision win over Álvarez in September in Las Vegas marked the end of Crawford’s domination of the sport — he subsequently retired with a 42-0 record and 31 knockouts — and the Mexican star’s run as super-middleweight champion.
During the conversation, Crawford said he expected to be challenged and tested more by Álvarez. Crawford, who had won titles in four weight classes before moving up to face Álvarez, took all four 168-pound titles on the line in the bout, becoming the undisputed champion at a third level.
“I’m not going to lie, I thought it would be more difficult,” he said.
Crawford explained that as the early rounds progressed, he was able to clearly read his opponent’s approach and feel increasingly comfortable in the ring. Crawford said he didn’t notice any significant adjustments on Álvarez’s part, which allowed him to control the pace of the fight and choose his moments to attack more effectively.
“The first round went by, the second round went by … and then I thought, ‘I’ve got him,’” Crawford said.
Crawford also spoke about the prefight narrative and how, in his opinion, he was underestimated.
“A lot of people spent time talking about how big he is, his stamina, that he was going to knock me out or run all over me,” Crawford said. “There was no talk about whether or not I could hurt him.”
According to Crawford, that perception changed in the ring when his power forced Álvarez to be more cautious. Crawford said the Mexican ended up respecting his punching power and his ability to control the exchanges.
The interview took place weeks after Crawford confirmed his retirement at age 38, ending speculation over the possibility of a rematch against Álvarez.
This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.