Crawford returns Canelo belts after defeating him in Las Vegas

Posted on 09/16/25 at 21:03

Crawford beat Canelo by unanimous decision
He returned the belts after the fight
Canelo is no longer world champion

Terence Crawford defeated Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez by unanimous decision and was crowned undisputed super middleweight champion in Las Vegas.

However, what surprised fans most was what he did after the fight: he returned the belts to Canelo in front of the cameras.

Did Crawford Recognize Him as Champion?

No. The gesture caused confusion, but there’s an explanation: the belts contested in the ring are the physical ones belonging to the reigning champion.

After the fight, they are returned by protocol, since the sanctioning bodies will later award Crawford his own new belts as the official champion.

Crawford derrota al Canelo y le devuelve los cinturones, Crawford returns Canelo belts after defeating him in Las Vegas — Crawford returns Canelo belts after defeating him in Las Vegas / Photo: EFE

Crawford Defeats Canelo and Returns the Belts

Sportingly speaking, even though he got the straps back, Canelo Álvarez no longer holds any titles. Crawford is now the undisputed ruler of the super middleweight division.