The boxing world was paralyzed. In just one round, David Benavidez destroyed the foundations of Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez’s empire, leaving millions of fans speechless and marking the end of a golden era for Mexican boxing.

The fight, anticipated for months as the biggest showdown of the year, ended before the public could absorb what was happening. From the first bell, Benavidez came out like a storm. His speed, precision and power completely baffled Canelo, who barely managed to land a couple of punches before receiving a relentless blast that sent him to the ground.

The referee stopped the fight when the stopwatch barely showed one minute and thirty seconds of the first round. Canelo, dazed and bleeding, stared into space while Benavidez raised his arms, screaming with contained fury. In the stands, there was total silence — not even Canelo’s most loyal followers could believe their eyes.

Commentators described it as “the most shocking collapse in modern boxing history.” Benavidez, at only 27 years old, is established as the new face of the discipline. “I respect Canelo, but today a new era begins,” he declared calmly after the fight.

In contrast, Canelo’s entourage avoided immediate statements. His medical team later confirmed that the champion suffered a minor concussion, but the most serious thing seems to be the emotional blow: losing in this way, to a compatriot, on the world stage, is a devastating blow to his legacy.

Social media exploded in a matter of minutes. Fans debated whether Canelo had underestimated his rival or whether the time of the “King of Guadalajara” had simply come to an end. Sponsors, who invested millions in the fight, were watching with concern the commercial impact of the result.

“Benavidez not only won a fight — he won the throne,” headlined one American media outlet. And it’s true: with this brutal victory, the young phenomenon opens a new era for Latin American boxing, while Canelo faces the most difficult question of his career: will he get back up?

One night, one round, one blow. Thus the reign of the man who seemed invincible collapsed.