Archive September 13, 2025

A shredded Terence Crawford was booed relentlessly by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s fans as a Mexican crowd made the home fighter feel as if he had walked straight into the lion’s den at Friday’s weigh-in in Las Vegas.

Crawford – jumping up two divisions – weighed the same as the defending champion.

Mexican Alvarez, 35, will defend his WBA (Super), WBC, IBF and WBO titles at the Allegiant Stadium.

The 37-year-old Nebraska native looked in incredible shape, with defined abs showing despite the extra weight.

The official weigh-in was held behind closed doors at the Fontainebleau on Friday morning.

But several thousands of fans packed in the T-Mobile Arena later for the ceremonial weigh-in, which felt like a full-blown victory parade with a carnival of Mexican flags, football kits and chanting.

Crawford looked composed and undeterred, smiling amid the jeers.

Alvarez fans congregated outside the arena hours before the fighters even appeared.

Every time Crawford’s name was read, or his face flashed on the big screen, it was drowned beneath a tidal wave of boos.

When the fighters stood next to each other there appeared little difference in size or height.

Crawford first became world champion at lightweight before unifying the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions.

Thirteen months ago, he moved up to light-middleweight and beat Israil Madrimov in arguably his closest contest yet.

Alvarez, who turned professional at just 15 in 2005, has a record of 63 wins, two defeats and two draws. Saturday marks his 21st fight in Las Vegas.

His experience at super-middleweight could prove decisive. Neither fighter has been dropped as a professional, but Alvarez’s natural power at 12st may push Crawford into uncharted territory.

British legend Lennox Lewis warned Crawford about the dangers of stepping up in weight.

“It’s not really easy coming up in weight. You get hit hard and sometimes it can affect you,” Lewis told BBC Sport.

“What Crawford has to realise is not to get hit to save his energy. He’s coming up against a guy who can hit hard.

Jumping up in weight has, historically, left challengers vulnerable against naturally bigger champions.

Yet in Las Vegas this week, many pundits and fighters are tipping Crawford to win – a testament to his adaptability and ring IQ.

Crawford looks toned and muscular – not having put on weight at the expense of his athleticism – but whether he can carry the same speed, timing and precision into the ring remains the question.

He says the extra pounds have been a blessing rather than a burden.

“It’s been different because I don’t have to worry about anything – the weight room, strength and conditioning, when I’m eating and things like that. I’m as happy as could be,” he told BBC Sport on Tuesday.

The freedom has even extended to breakfast.

“I woke up and ate pancakes this morning. I would never have been able to eat pancakes before,” he said.

Phil Salt has set his sights on becoming the “best in the world” as a T20 opener after smashing a record-breaking century in England’s 146-run victory over South Africa.

The 29-year-old lit up Old Trafford with an unbeaten 141 off 60 deliveries to not only shatter a host of individual records – most notably reaching three figures off just 39 balls to beat Liam Livingstone’s England record – but also propel his side beyond 300 for the first time in T20s.

England amassed 304-2, a record total in a T20I between two Test nations, in a blistering display of hitting before bowling South Africa out for 158 to level the series at 1-1 going into Sunday’s decider in Nottingham.

Salt was aggressive from ball one, immediately dispatching Marco Jansen for a trio of boundaries, and went on to find the rope no fewer than 23 times, including eight sixes, in his monster knock.

“Enjoying being there at the crease for as long as you can and just a will to impact the game, that’s how I see it,” Salt said.

“I want to take games as deep as possible while still batting at a high strike-rate. The two don’t often go hand in hand but that’s what I want to do as a player.

Whether he goes on to achieve that ambition or not, Salt may never have another night quite like this.

“To go and get 140, play the way he did, so convincingly, hardly mis-hit a ball, take the game on from ball one – it perfect game of cricket for him,” former England batter Dawid Malan told BBC Test Match Special.

Salt set a record after just six balls, with the 18 runs he scored off Jansen the most by an England batter in the first over of a T20I.

After being deprived of the strike by opening partner Jos Buttler for a while, he brought up his half-century off 19 deliveries and needed just 20 more to reach three figures.

His 39-ball hundred is the fastest by an England player, beating Liam Livingstone’s 42-ball ton against Pakistan in 2021.

In finishing unbeaten on 141, Salt also broke his own record of 119 (set versus West Indies in 2023) for the highest score for England men in the format and Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s overall record of 124 against India in 2018.

He has now scored four of England’s eight centuries in men’s T20Is, with Livingstone, Buttler, Alex Hales and Malan contributing one apiece.

Salt, dismissed for a golden duck in Cardiff on Wednesday, was quickly out of the blocks on home turf, hitting 18 runs off his first three balls to set the tone for England’s onslaught.

With Buttler also in fine form, England reached 100-0 after six overs, only two shy of South Africa’s 102-0 against West Indies in 2023 – a powerplay record for a match between Test nations.

“I want to put that stamp on [an innings],” Salt said. “In order to knock a man out of possession, you have to do something they can’t do.

“From early in my career, I looked at that and if I can be the most dangerous in the first 10, 15 balls of the game, that’s a unique tool. It’s something I’ve always worked on.”

While Salt’s innings stole the headlines, England captain Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell played valuable supporting knocks while Buttler was on course for a blistering century of his own before being caught for 83 from 30.

He was the early pace-setter in England’s innings, dominating the first-wicket partnership of 126 from 47, and bringing up his half-century off just 18 balls in the fifth over.

“I can’t turn into Jos Buttler overnight but the way he thinks around the game, that’s what I’ve tapped into the most,” Salt said.

“His consistent performances over the course of his career, that’s what I’ve aspired to be.”

Brook hailed Salt’s performance and said his side’s performance showcased their capability of being “the most dominant team in the world”.

“His ability to go out there and hit the first ball for four which is a risky shot and aerial after a golden duck the other night sums up the type of player he is,” Brook told Test Match Special.

“He is selfless and knows exactly what his role is – to go out and look to put their bowlers under pressure form the get go.