Terence Crawford stops José Benavidez Jr. in final seconds

José Benavidez fought valiantly against Terence Crawford, but Crawford proved why he’s one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

In the build-up to their fight, Terence Crawford and José Benavidez Jr. showed that they didn’t like each other. They talked trash during their final press conference and had a physical altercation during the weigh-in. Fortunately, boxing is one of the few sports where volatile disputes have a material outlet. Crawford demonstrated to the world his malice towards Benavidez through his masterful performance in the ring.

Crawford used his jab throughout round one. Benavidez followed Crawford around the ring but threw punches cautiously. With a minute remaining, Crawford switched to southpaw and scored with a straight left to the body. They both landed in the closing seconds. It was a close round, but Crawford’s boxing prevailed.

Crawford started the second round as a southpaw. He landed several jabs on Benavidez who kept his hands low. Benavidez continued to pose with his hands down but didn’t land anything of merit on Crawford. Crawford dug in lefts and rights to Benavidez’s body, and his boxing IQ continued to operate above Benavidez’s level.

In the third,  Crawford scored early with a right, left combination. When Crawford attacked, Benavidez shelled up in a high guard which allowed Crawford target practice to his body. Benavidez tried to counter Crawford, but he was too slow. Benavidez looked frustrated as Crawford landed on his body at will. This was a lopsided round for Crawford.

Benavidez tried to get his jab going in the fourth, but Crawford caught most of his shots on the gloves. Crawford slightly slowed his pace but continued to score. Crawford’s hand speed allowed him to slip in jabs and lead hooks to Benavidez’s head. Benavidez closed the round with a strong right on Crawford’s belt line that he felt. It was slightly low but effective.

Benavidez was active at the start of the fifth and even threw a quick four-punch combination. He looked comfortable early, but Crawford ripped a right uppercut that was eye-catching. Crawford won the round, but Benavidez looked competitive for the first time.

In the sixth, Benavidez advanced on Crawford and tried to push him to the ropes, but Crawford’s fleet feet danced out of danger. Crawford was economical with his punches but picked his openings when they presented themselves. Benavidez landed a straight right flush on Crawford’s face, but he took it in stride. Crawford closed the round with a four-punch combination to Benavidez’s body with all punches scoring. He landed another three punches in the closing seconds.

Crawford targeted Benavidez’s body in the seventh. Benavidez looked winded at times and couldn’t react to Crawford’s body assault. Benavidez started to miss punches by a greater distance. Crawford asserted his superior conditioning.

Benavidez pawed out a lazy jab in the eighth and was met with a flurry of Crawford punches. His only answer was to cover up and hope for the best. Crawford’s control of the fight tightened as Benavidez appeared slower and less active. He hit more air than Crawford in this round.

The ninth round started slow. Benavidez looked to counter, and Crawford paced his punches. With a minute off the clock, Crawford went back to work. He threw combinations to Benavidez’s body that scored and widened his growing margin on the judges’ scorecards. Benavidez tried to catch Crawford with something, but he was too tired to connect with anything meaningful.

Crawford tattooed Benavidez with a left hook to start the 10th. Crawford’s abuse of Benavidez progressed as he pinned him to the ropes at beat him up to the body and head. Benavidez towers over Crawford, but Crawford fought like the bigger man. Benavidez looked dejected in the final forty seconds. He courageously invited Crawford in to trade and showed his heart by mounting a desperate offensive.

Crawford walked through Benavidez in the 11th. He kept his right and left hands moving as his legs drove forward through Benavidez. Benavidez awoke and tried to land a home run right hand, but missed.

Benavidez entered the final round after taking a beating at the hands of Crawford. Before the round commenced, Crawford looked relaxed on his stool and was barely breathing hard. He looked like he had just run a few warm-up laps.

Benavidez walked down Crawford out of desperation. He knew that he needed a knockout to win. The problem is that his opponent was superior in every way. Crawford continued to beat his body in spurts. In the final minute, Benavidez laid on the ropes as if to signal to the world, “I’m done.”

He peeled himself off the ropes and offered what little he had left. He threw out a weak combination with his remaining strength, and that’s when Crawford made him pay. Like lightning striking, Crawford nailed a right uppercut on Benavidez’s jaw that bent his body in half as he collapsed to the canvas. Miraculously, he rose to his feet only to have the referee intervene in the midst of a Crawford onslaught. There were only 18 seconds left in the round, but Benavidez couldn’t make it to the finish line.

Crawford and Benavidez came into their fight with a strong dislike for one another. In the end, the animosity was gone. Crawford credited Benazidez’s effort.

“He made me work in the early rounds—he was trying to counter me,” said Crawford.

The hate was gone and the victory belonged to Crawford. He proved why he should be considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.