Terence Crawford gave the belts back to Canelo Alvarez as a gesture of respect and sportsmanship. Although Crawford won the fight and officially claimed the titles, he handed back the physical belts to Canelo at the post- fight press conference to honor Canelo's long and dominant reign as a champion. This is also an unwritten tradition in boxing to recognize the defeated fighter's career and legacy. Crawford will receive his own new, custom-made belts from the sanctioning bodies, while returning Canelo's belts showed that their rivalry is confined to the ring and that mutual respect prevails outside it. This act highlighted Crawford's focus on legacy over hardware and sportsmanship over showboating.
