Terence Crawford cemented his place among boxing’s greats by outclassing Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Las Vegas to become the first male fighter in the modern era to hold undisputed titles in three weight divisions.

In front of 70,000 mostly pro-Canelo fans at Allegiant Stadium, the unbeaten 37-year-old jumped up two divisions and controlled the fight with precision, defence and timing.

The judges scored it 116-112, 115-113, 115-113, giving Crawford a clear points victory and his 42nd straight win.

Crawford, draped in all four super-middleweight belts, was visibly emotional. “I’m not here by coincidence,” he said, before hinting at possible retirement: “I don’t know, I’ve got to sit down with my team and we’ll talk about it.”

For Alvarez, beaten for just the third time in 68 fights, it was a sobering night on Mexican Independence Day weekend. “I feel great to share the ring with great fighters like him. If we do it again then it’ll be great. My legacy is already there,” he said.

Crawford’s victory will be remembered as a defining night, silencing the partisan crowd and rewriting boxing history.