Although he held a world title for over a decade, many, including Terence Crawford, were under the assumption that he wasn’t getting enough credit.

When it came to figuring out his opponents, that came easily. But the lack of adoration? Crawford couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Still, all he continued to do was beat whoever was put in front of him.

Yet, even after logging a dominant ninth-round stoppage win over then-unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. in July 2023 to unify the 147-pound division, Crawford still had a burning desire: do something even his hardest critics would be forced to respect.

Two years after planting the seed publicly, Crawford challenged Canelo Alvarez for his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight belts last weekend at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Crawford as a slight underdog was a foreign concept to oddsmakers, though on that night and for the first time in his career, he strolled to the ring without being a pre-fight favourite. None of that mattered as he would prove being bigger isn't always better.

With a close but clear unanimous decision win and a third undisputed reign, Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) has been showered with praise. None of it however, is getting to his head.

Although he believes his name has been slandered and his skills downplayed over the years, the Omaha native knew that one day, his time would come.

That time is now.

"I know where I was meant to be," Crawford told Inside The Ring. "I know my place in the sport, where I was destined to be at."