Bold truth: Terence Crawford says the hardest punch he ever felt came from a 147-pound fighter, not Canelo. And here’s how the story unfolds.
Crawford, who famously moved up two weight classes to take on Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds for the undisputed super-middleweight crown, says the most brutal shot he endured came from a fighter far lighter than Canelo. Despite expectations that the size gap would overwhelm him, Crawford dominated most of the fight and secured a unanimous decision victory at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
After retiring with a pristine 42-0 record, fans now spar over who delivered Crawford’s hardest punch. Many pointed to Canelo, a proven power puncher with 39 knockouts, including a career-highlight stoppage against Sergey Kovalev at light heavyweight. Yet Crawford himself flipped the script, revealing that Canelo wasn’t his hardest hitter. Instead, he named Egidijus Kavaliauskas, the Lithuanian known as Mean Machine, as the tougher puncher in his experience.
Crawford previously defended his WBO welterweight title in a December 2019 bout against Kavaliauskas, scoring a ninth-round stoppage to retain the belt. Kavaliauskas has since remained active, most recently defeating Samuel Molina in November to capture the European welterweight title. His record stands at 24 wins in 28 fights, with 19 of those wins by knockout.
So, why does Crawford place Kavaliauskas ahead of Canelo in terms of raw power? Perhaps it’s about the moment, the clean impact, or how those punches landed in a real fight context. It reminds us that “power” isn’t a single measure, and fighters can feel danger from opponents you might least expect.
Discussion starter: Do you agree with Crawford’s assessment, or do you see Canelo as the heavier hitter overall? If you’ve watched both clashes, which punch moments stuck with you the most, and why? Share your thoughts below.
