feature-image

Imago

feature-image

Imago

Terence Crawford stunned the boxing world with a masterful performance against Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The 37-year-old outboxed and outclassed ‘Cinnamon’ to cement his place in history as the first male fighter to claim undisputed titles in three different weight divisions during the four-belt era. The event itself achieved its own accolades and set new records. 

Watch What’s Trending Now!

The fight drew a record crowd of 70,482 at Allegiant Stadium and generated $47 million in gate revenue. Later, Netflix revealed the fight attracted an estimated AMA of 41.4 million viewers worldwide – making it the most-watched men’s championship fight of the 21st century. Naturally, Crawford has become the center of attention, especially in his home state of Nebraska, where the University of Nebraska honored him with a special tribute.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tom Brady makes a massive announcement

Ring Magazine reported that the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team paid tribute to Terence Crawford ahead of their game against the Houston Christian Huskies on September 13 at Memorial Stadium. Players were seen wearing Crawford-themed t-shirts before cruising to a dominant 59–7 victory. Later that night, following Crawford’s historic win over Canelo Alvarez, the Cornhuskers doubled down on their support by changing their official X profile picture to Crawford’s photo.

“The University of Nebraska always stands behind Terence Crawford. The Cornhuskers football team wore t-shirts of Crawford before their victory on Saturday and changed their profile photo on X after ‘Bud’ defeated Canelo later that night,” Ring Magazine wrote on X, sharing pictures of players in Crawford gear and the updated profile photo. Fast forward to Monday, Tom Brady and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh were spotted together at Allegiant Stadium ahead of the Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers game

Get the EssentiallySports Daily Newsletter. Stay ahead of the game with daily updates, exclusive stories, expert takes, and the biggest moments from the world's most popular sports.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Las Vegas Raiders minority owner announced that he has teamed up with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Fanatics, Fox Sports, and OBB Media for The Fanatics Flag Football Classic. Brady revealed that he will play in the first-of-its-kind round-robin tournament featuring three teams of current and former NFL players. The event is scheduled for March 21, 2026, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. But Brady and Alalshikh weren’t the only high-profile names present. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Terence Crawford, who stayed back in Las Vegas after his victory, was also in attendance. A clip from Sean Zittel showed the champion mingling with officials on the field. Regardless, watching Crawford take a victory lap, fans quickly came together on social media to celebrate with the newly minted undisputed super middleweight champion. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Terence Crawford is branded a global superstar

Upon witnessing the overwhelming support for Crawford, people flooded social media with messages. One user claimed no one as talented as Terence Crawford has come out of Nebraska. “They haven’t seen this kind of talent in Nebraska since Ahman Green,” the user commented. The state is known for generating talent primarily in American football, as evidenced by the numerous players drafted into the NFL. 

The next user seemed happy about Crawford receiving the recognition he deserved. “Bud is the man! Finally getting his flowers big time,” the user commented. Despite being an elite-level boxer, Terence Crawford blew up only after he defeated Errol Spence Jr. in 2023. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Another user had similar feelings about Crawford. “Glad our guy is getting the attention and recognition he has worked so hard for,” the user remarked. Crawford began boxing at the age of seven and continues to do so at the age of 37. However, the Canelo fight could be his last outing.

article-image

Imago

Meanwhile, this user was impressed by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. “Damn, Turki got all the connections 😅,” the user wrote. He played a key role in bringing American football to the Middle East. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Another user was convinced that Crawford has become a global superstar. “Crawford officially a global superstar/icon….I don’t even think he wants all this attention,” the user commented. If this goes on, there’s a possibility that Crawford may return to the ring for another payday. 

ADVERTISEMENT

That being said, it appears Terence Crawford’s win over Canelo Alvarez has shot his popularity sky high. However, what he does with this newfound fame is yet to be seen. What did you make of the overwhelming support for Crawford? 

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Sudeep Sinha

4,776 Articles

Sudeep Sinha is a Golf Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the storylines around the sport's biggest events and names. He previously spent over two years writing in the Boxing department, where his fight-night coverage was featured on Sports Illustrated, Daily Mail, and Yahoo Sports, including his reporting on Ryan Garcia's career arc. On the golf beat, Sudeep covers tour news, player form, and the season-long storylines that shape the men's and women's game, from majors to the ongoing shifts in how professional golf is structured. That same appetite for detail that made his boxing coverage stand out now shows up in how he breaks down a swing change or a schedule shakeup for hardcore and casual fans alike. Outside work, he splits his time between reading, cycling, and following combat sports.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Syed Rahil Ahmed

ADVERTISEMENT