Deontay Wilder made his feelings crystal clear after watching Terence Crawford outpoint Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas.
The former WBC heavyweight champion sat ringside at Allegiant Stadium as Crawford claimed a unanimous decision to become a five-weight world champion. Judges scored it 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in his favour.
But Wilder insisted the Nebraska star had dominated far more convincingly.
“It was no pressure on Terence Crawford at all, he can go both ways, orthodox southpaw,” Deontay Wilder told Boxing King Media. “He don’t crack under pressure, you gotta be a real fighter to go like that.
“I had him winning all the rounds, it was a flush, know what I mean.”
When reminded, the official cards gave Crawford only a narrow win; Wilder doubled down. “That’s a lie, that’s a f****** lie, he won all the rounds, period.”
Crawford Reflects on Canelo victory
Crawford himself was asked about the fight on the TMZ Sports TV show the following Monday. For him, the clash was more about the stage than the challenge.
“I wouldn’t say it was the hardest fight of my career, but it was definitely the biggest fight of my career,” he explained.
Crawford, now 42-0 with 31 knockouts, also placed himself among the sport’s all-time greats. “That’s a fact. Terence Crawford is the greatest fighter of this generation and one of the all-time greats of the sport of boxing.”
He added he could retire today with no regrets. “Absolutely. You know, if I were to hang up the gloves right now, I would definitely be content. You know, all my accomplishments and the things that I’ve done in the sport of boxing.”
AI judge with controversial scorecard
While Wilder felt Crawford swept every round and judges gave him the unanimous nod, artificial intelligence told a different story.
The AI judging system reviewed the bout and scored it 114-114, ruling the contest a draw. That decision clashed with the views of Wilder, the official judges, and most fans in the arena.
Crawford still outlanded Canelo 165 to 132 and left Las Vegas with both history and legacy on his side. Asked what he might buy after the career-defining win, he gave a simple answer: “No, I got everything I need. Got everything I need.”
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