Boxing history was rewritten in the spotlight at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium as Terence “Bud” Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) produced the performance of a lifetime to knock down Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez (63-3-2, 30 KOs) by unanimous decision and become the undisputed Super Middleweight Champion. The fight wasn’t merely the climactic culmination of Crawford’s Hall of Fame career — it brought the world one of the highest-viewed bouts of the modern era.
Twelve rounds of strategic mastery concluded with Crawford’s hand in the air, his unbeaten record remaining intact, and the world of boxing in awe of the upset. For Canelo, it was an unusual misstep on the grandest stage. For Crawford, it was vindication, the culmination of a career that already saw him become a three-division welterweight champion.
The scorecards spoke for themselves: Crawford’s crisp counterpunches, defensive excellence, and relentless poise wore down even Canelo’s signature strength. The crowd at Allegiant Stadium knew it was witness to history in the making long before the final bell.
Netflix Breaks the Internet
This wasn’t just a boxing match. It was a global streaming spectacle. Netflix’s broadcast pulled in a jaw-dropping 36.6 million live+SD average minute audience (AMA) during the fight, peaking at over 24 million concurrent streams. By the end of the weekend, the total had ballooned to 41.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched men’s championship boxing event of the century.
The United States drew 20.3 million live spectators, and the bout ruled worldwide charts: No. 1 on Netflix in 30 countries, Top 10 in 91, and an unstoppable tidal wave on social media. The event generated a mind-boggling nearly 1 billion impressions on Netflix’s official platforms, and X (Twitter) became a Crawford vs. Canelo battleground. At the same time, 21 of the Top 30 U.S. Trends were about the bout, and “Canelo” and “Crawford” occupied the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in Mexico.
A Packed House and Record Gate
Inside the stadium itself, the buzz was tangible. The record crowd of 70,482 fans filled Allegiant to capacity to achieve the biggest gate in stadium history: over $47 million in ticket sales. Luxury suite to nosebleeds, every seat carried the weight of history.
Even outside the grounds of the event, the bout became a cultural event. Five hundred thousand fans saw the event on broadcast in over 2,700 bars and restaurants within the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico through Joe Hand Promotions. It was the rare event whose audience brought together casual sports fans, die-hard boxers, and even stream-first fans who might never have even turned on a pay-per-view.
Hollywood and Heavyweights in the Seats
The crowd was just as star-studded as on any Oscars red carpet. Old Hollywood stars such as Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Macaulay Culkin, Sofia Vergara, and Mark Wahlberg rubbed shoulders with boxing royalty such as Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, and Julio César Chávez.
Hip-hop and sports collided at ringside with special guest appearances by Chance the Rapper, Cordae, Wiz Khalifa, Angel Reese, and Magic Johnson. Internet sensation MrBeast sat beside WWE legend Triple H, and comedy legends Dave Chappelle, Tracy Morgan, and Tom Segura had the crowd in a perpetual state of hysteria. It wasn’t a bout—it was where to be.
What’s Next: Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul
This Canelo-Crawford spectacle was merely the start for Netflix. The streamer has already announced their subsequent worldwide event: Jake Paul vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis on November 14. With the glimpse of Saturday’s success, the buzz is through the roof.
