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Canelo Alvarez receives fresh blow to Terence Crawford rematch chase in new development

Canelo Alvarez’s chances of sharing the ring with Terence Crawford in an immediate title rematch have just received a sizable blow.

Now a month removed from his undisputed super middleweight title fight loss, Canelo Alvarez’s future in the ring is no clearer — akin to the future of newly-crowned kingpin Terence Crawford.

And with the Mexican set for an extended period on the sideline through a new injury setback, chances of him fighting as early as expected are in stark jeopardy.

Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford

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However, in a new development, the Jalisco megastar seems even more unlikely to rematch Crawford in his immediate return to the ring.

Rematch clause ditched for Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford

Following long and rather drawn-out talks, Canelo and Crawford eventually agreed to face off with each other in one of the biggest blockbuster fights in recent boxing history.

However, according to boxing reporter Dan Rafael, as part of the fight talks, no rematch clause for the pairing was introduced by either Canelo or the unbeaten champion Crawford’s team.

“What I am told by Canelo’s (Alvarez) people is that absolutely there is no rematch clause [to fight Terence Crawford] in the contract,” Rafael told Boxing Social.

“He does have two more fights on a contract with Turki (Alalshikh),” Rafael explained.” Now, if Turki said, ‘I wanna do the rematch,’ I guess, they could make the rematch, but there’s nothing, you know, that he can invoke and say, ‘I’m getting an automatic rematch with Terence Crawford.’”

Canelo Alvarez urged to ditch 20-year partnership in return

Without a championship in tow for the first time in seven years, Canelo will likely enter the ring as a title challenger in his return to the ring.

And with a pairing against Crawford now seeming more and more unlikely as the duo remain sidelined, Canelo has been urged to make wholesale changes to his boxing approach.

According to a former close friend and promoter, the Mexican legend must ditch a boxing relationship dating back to his professional debut if he’s to make one final run to a championship reign.

Canelo Alvarez’s First Public Appearance Since Crawford Loss Has Boxing Fans Talking

Canelo Alvarez has kept a very low profile ever since his defeat to Terence Crawford exactly one month ago, on September 13.

This isn’t necessarily out of the norm for Canelo. The former undisputed super middleweight champion isn’t very active on social media, and certainly doesn’t keep his huge fan base updated about what he’s getting up to daily.

However, given that Canelo suffered the third loss of his professional career against Crawford and lost all of his 168-pound belts, his not being in the public eye in the days and weeks after fighting raised some concerns among fans that he was taking the loss hard.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

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Canelo Alvarez’s First Public Appearance After Terence Crawford Loss Speaks Volumes

But Canelo taking the defeat tough doesn’t seem to be the case at all, if the recent video of Canelo making his first public appearance since the Crawford loss is any indication.

Canelo’s daughter Emily celebrated her 18th birthday over the weekend, and Canelo made a heartfelt Instagram post that was captioned (in translated English), “Happy 18th my beautiful girl @emilyc.alvarez I will always be here for you, may this new stage bring you everything you expect from life I LOVE YOU ❤️”.

What’s more, videos of Canelo and his wife singing and celebrating during their daughter’s birthday party have surfaced. Fight Hub TV posted a clip of Canelo singing to their YouTube account, which is making many waves on social media.

Boxing Fans React to Canelo Alvarez Singing Video

Canelo is clearly no longer upset about his loss to Crawford video. And this is good for his fans to see, which they’re making clear on the video’s comments.

“Love to see Nelo out enjoying himself. Bro, is focus on enjoying life and that’s what’s it’s about. This is the reason for Boxing,” one fan wrote.

“Good man, family first,” said another.

A third wrote, “Canelo enjoying the fruits of his labor after so many years of training hard he can celebrate time with his family. A lot of fighters don’t get a chance to celebrate their kids birthdays or their birthdays.”

In an X post of the video, one fan commented, “This is what it’s all about and what all these cats fight for! Not these ungrateful fans!”

“Canelo is the man I respect out of everybody in boxing such a beautiful soul and his daughter is beautiful congratulations familia,” another added in a YouTube comment.

“That man took care of his family!!! Respect!!!” wrote one more.

“Love to see Canelo enjoy time with his daughter, it reminds me of me and my father when we enjoyed moments together… oh how I love ❤️ that 😊,” added another fan.

“Gotta respect that!” said another.

“Canelo dont look like a man who is DWELLING on his loss to Bud. He’s moving on its the canelo fanatics who can’t move on. Canelo has solidified his legacy in boxing he will go down in the books as one of the greats 🫡,” wrote another X comment.

Another YouTube fan added, “goatnelo not stressing after loss, legacy secured.”

It’s cool to see the love and support Canelo is receiving through this video and by celebrating his daughter over the weekend.

Turki Alalshikh Suffered Financial Loss Over Canelo vs. Crawford’s $150M+ Fight Purse Deal, Speculates Rival Promoter

Just the other day, boxing insider Rick Glaser bestowed a new moniker on Terence Crawford. ‘I’m going to call him “King,” as King Crawford has a quality sound to it,” he said. Given Crawford’s recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Japan, Glaser reflected on the age-old wisdom – ‘To the victor goes the spoils.’ With the super middleweight’s four belts, his third undisputed championship, and $50 million, the Nebraska native is indeed flying high. After all those years fighting in the sidelines, he deserves it. However, if what Eddie Hearn said stands true, then his achievement might have exacted a price.

One, paid by Turki Alalshikh. Hearn’s appearance at Ariel Helwani’s show has sent alarm bells across the boxing world. According to the Matchroom boss, despite the streaming and gate records and Canelo and Terence Crawford‘s $150 million paycheck, Turki Alalshikh and his team might have suffered a financial hit. Many lauded Zuffa Boxing’s inaugural event at T-Mobile Arena. Still a few, like Eddie Hearn, seemingly prefer to hold it under the lens.

Boxing: Eddie Hearn on Dana White's new boxing league - BBC Sport

READ: Canelo Alvarez targeted for comeback fight by fierce rival’s 

Eddie Hearn: Canelo vs. Crawford missed the mark

Speaking about Zuffa Boxing’s purported plans to hold a ‘Contender Series’ in 2026 that likely resembles the UFC format, Hearn shed some light on the potential layout of schedules. “I think their model will be the league, the content, whatever they want to call it. And then I think they’ll delve into some big shows during the year,” he said. Helwani promptly cited an example – the Canelo-Crawford showdown.

Only, it forced Eddie Hearn to spill the tea on some hard truths. “I don’t think the reality is I don’t know the numbers, but there was probably a loss on that show because of the deal that Turkey did with Canelo and Crawford, and, you know, he really looks after the fighters and, you know, the costs involved in a Saudi Rad season show,” the Matchroom honcho stated.

He speculated if the Zuffa Boxing-Riyadh Season collab would risk staging another show of such magnitude. “Now, every big fight we do runs the risk of making a loss. That’s just boxing. You just hope that the numbers, you know, are good enough and solid enough at the end that it’s a profitable game.

Another followed. Reflecting on Dana White’s claims about staging some of the biggest shows in history, he pointed out – funded by Riyadh Season, Canelo vs. Crawford was Turki Alalshikh’s brainchild.

A rivalry to push the sport to new heights?

The noise of Eddie Hearn’s sharp critiques now reverberates across the boxing world. Falling on either side of the fence, followers have invariably taken sides. But one might as well take a look at Rick Glaser’s nuanced take.

Speaking about Hearn and White’s rivalry, the New York Boxing Hall of Fame (NYBHOF) inductee stated, “Competition drives some to greatness; Bob Arum & Don King had each other to drive each to great heights,” he said before raising a poignant question: “Could Dana White vs. Eddie Hearn become the next Arum vs. King battle royale?”

Ever since Zuffa Boxing stepped into the ring, legacy promoters have been sitting on pins and needles. With the exception of a few, most currently work in tandem with Riyadh Season. So a clash of thoughts and ideas is bound to take place.

Fans should watch out for this space as more such intriguing conversations emerge.

Canelo Alvarez targeted for comeback fight by fierce rival’s next opponent

Anthony Yarde fancies his chances against Canelo Alvarez, if he wins his next fight.

Yarde is currently gearing up to challenge David Benavidez for his WBC light heavyweight title, on November 22.

Benavidez is a two-weight champion and has amassed a professional record of 30-0 in his career so far.

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He is also a long-term foe of Canelo.

Their rivalry dates back to when Benavidez was the mandatory challenger for the Mexican’s WBC super middleweight title, but a fight never materialised between the pair.

Now, the American will put his new title on the line after being upgraded to full champion from interim earlier in the year.

Should Yarde be the first man to defeat Benavidez, he sees himself sharing the ring with some of the biggest names in the sport – like Canelo.

After the Mexican’s recent loss to Terence Crawford, the 35-year-old will naturally be assessing his options for a comeback.

In light of that, Yarde told Sky Sports: “We will see. Someone like Canelo?

“I think Canelo would want to come back and think ‘I can beat this guy. He lost to [Sergey] Kovalev. I knocked out Kovalev.’

“Do you know what I’m saying?

“No one knows where this storyline can go.

“Imagine that. Anthony Yarde versus Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. It would be crazy.”

What else would a victory against David Benavidez mean for Anthony Yarde?

As well as the chance to face-off with Canelo, Yarde thinks a win could secure him a spot on the sport-wide ranks.

He told Sky Sports: “I think [Benavidez is] on the pound-for-pound list.

“Again that’s motivation for me because this will be two people I’ve fought that are on the current pound-for-pound list.

“It would be a crazy thing to see Anthony Yarde on a Ring magazine pound-for-pound list by beating David Benavidez.

“That’s the reason I got into boxing, to push the limits and see just how far I can go to be the best.”

As the Briton looks to extend his current four-fight win streak, the only obstacle he has to get over first is his 6ft 2ins foe.

It will be Yarde’s third shot at a world title, having fallen short in his two previous assault at the division’s elite.

The carrot of a huge showdown with Alvarez beckons, and despite the Mexican’s recent defeat, he remains a huge commercial draw.

And the former pound-for-pound king teased a first appearance in the UK, and still has two fights remaining with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.

As Terence Crawford reflects on his undisputed super middleweight title win over Canelo Alvarez, he talks to Andre Ward about preparing himself to make the physical leap up several weight divisions in order to make the fight happen.

“When I was fighting at these lower weights I had to always keep myself from growing,” Crawford said. “When I was at 147 everybody was like ‘man, he’s a gym rat.’ I’m always in the gym anyway but I had to stay in the gym because I had to keep my weight down and stay in reasonable touching range to be able to make weight. So when I was able to work out, not worry about what I do in the weight room or what I do nutrition wise, my body just started doing what it do.

“Like, I didn’t tell my body to just get bigger or nothing…A lot of people don’t know this but I started working out for Canelo in February. This was a process. They think this happened overnight. Chet was like ‘you going to get this Canelo fight, we got to start now, got to start working on your legs, working on your power so you can withstand those big shots and you know he’s going to be punching your arms’ and this and that. So we already preparing for Canelo in February. So when they say ‘ah he just gained all this weight,’ nah, it was a process. It was bulk and then cut.”

READ: Boxing World Is All Saying The Same Thing About Terence Crawford’s Next Move

Crawford was then asked about fighting infrequently and whether he believes extended time in between fights is a hindrance.

“I think you get your sharpness from sparring and in the gym. If you’re sharp in the gym you’re going to be sharp in the fight. That’s just me. A lot of people don’t believe that…Me being in the game for so long, your body needs rest. So when you having these camps after camps after camps thinking ‘I’m staying active,’ you’re constantly tearing down your body.

“So when they say ‘oh, well Terence, he fights one time a year.’ That’s cool, for me. If I fight twice a year that’d be great, but one time a year — hey, I’m giving my body the proper time it needs to recover because as I got older that’s just as important as anything else, is recovery.”

One of the biggest stories in the boxing world right now is what Terence Crawford is going to do next after his dominant unanimous decision win against Canelo Alvarez last month.

With that win, Crawford became the undisputed super middleweight champion, thus making him the first male boxer to become undisputed in three different weight divisions. Not to mention that this victory over the arguable face of boxing skyrocketed Crawford’s star power, making him known in the mainstream sports world and heightening his profile within the sweet science.

Crawford’s sustained dominance over several weight divisions makes it so he has all the options in the world regarding his next fight. He could stay at 168 pounds to rematch Canelo, drop back down to 154 pounds, or even jump up to the 174-pound division to fight Dmitry Bivol, David Benavidez, or Artur Beterbiev.

Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford

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Or Crawford could call it a career and hang up the gloves for good. And given that he just turned 38 years old (and now has more money than he knows what to do with after his success against Canelo), this option surely is looking more and more appealing by the day.

ESPN Gets ‘Real’ When Predicting Terence Crawford’s Next Career Move

On October 2, ESPN’s Andreas Hale wrote an article titled, ‘Boxing real or Not’. When it came to Terence Crawford, he answered the statement, “Terence Crawford’s next fight will be at 160 pounds,” by asserting that this was “Real” — so long as he decides to fight again.

Hale went on to note that Crawford would have a chance to win a championship in a sixth division if he moved down to 160 pounds (which he skipped over to face Canelo).

While Hale’s sentiment makes sense, Crawford would probably be sacrificing money to make this career move, as there’s no big name in the 160-pound middleweight division. Plus, the path to him winning an undisputed title at middleweight is murky because there are currently three champions there.

That being said, two of these champions (Janibek Alimkhanuly and Erislandy Lara) are supposed to be fighting in December. So if Crawford were to fight the third champion (Carlos Adames, WBC) and win, he could presumably face the winner of Alimkhanuly vs. Lara for the undisputed middleweight titles in 2026.

That said, Hale isn’t the first to raise this subject, as fans immediately took to X to debate the possibility when the fight was announced on October 2.

Therefore, it’s all up to what Crawford wants to do with the time remaining in his career. Or he could call it quits now and sail off into the sunset as an all-time great.

Canelo Alvarez faces the most complex crossroads of his career, with a devastating loss to Terence Crawford and trainer Calvin Ford’s explosive comments—that the Mexican icon “got old in the ring”—fueling intense speculation over his future.

However, amidst the criticism, WBN speculates that Canelo’s next move could be a truly huge one: a pivot to the cruiserweight division.

The four-division champion’s next move is delayed by elbow surgery, pushing his return until the second or third quarter of 2026. This extended layoff gives Canelo a chance to strategically plot a course that can both silence critics and secure a monumental legacy.

Canelo Las Vegas presser

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The Cruiserweight Crossroads: A Path to History
The clamor for a David Benavidez fight or a Dmitry Bivol rematch remains loud, but the physical and mental toll of those high-pressure bouts might be too high for a fighter entering the twilight of his career.

Instead, WBN speculates that Canelo may choose to pivot to the cruiserweight division (200 pounds) for a less physically draining but historically significant challenge. Such a move would allow him to chase a world title in a record fifth weight class, a feat that would further cement his legacy while enabling him to avoid the high-pressure style of a Benavidez or the elite size of a Bivol at light-heavyweight.

A move to 200 pounds would open the door for a massive all-Mexican clash against current WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, or a contest against the winner of the ordered rematch between WBC belt holder Badou Jack and Noel Mikaelian 2.

If successful, Canelo could eventually welcome Benavidez to the higher limit in the final bout of his Riyadh Season deal.

‘He Got Old in the Ring’ | Ford’s Criticism
The push for a strategic move to cruiserweight is amplified by the severe criticism levied by Gervonta “Tank” Davis‘s head trainer, Calvin Ford.

Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Ford explained that the outcome of the Crawford fight was not a shock, claiming he had foreseen the former pound-for-pound king’s difficulties.

When asked for his reaction to Crawford’s dominant performance, Ford stated:

“No, that is not crazy! You know why I say it’s not crazy? Because I predicted it, and I said Canelo was going to get old in the ring that night. No disrespect to Crawford.”

Ford went further, suggesting that Crawford intentionally carried Canelo to the final bell despite having the firepower to finish the contest earlier. “Crawford could have stopped him,” Ford added. “He was being humble of Canelo. It was a great fight, and it was a good talk for the boxing world.”

The implication is heavy: Canelo’s loss was less about Crawford’s unexpected jump in weight and more about an irreversible decline for the 35-year-old.

Jake Paul: The Long-Term Mega-Money Play?
Canelo still has two fights remaining on his lucrative contract with Turki Alalshikh. Looking beyond that contract, another surprising option looms large: a future fight against YouTube-star-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

WBN understands that a Canelo vs. Paul showdown in 2027 remains a possibility after his Riyadh Season deal expires. Canelo has openly dismissed Paul in the past. However, the guaranteed nine-figure payday a fight of that magnitude would generate is a massive incentive for the Mexican icon as he looks to wind down his career, especially if he has already acclimated to the division.

Whether he pursues a safer path to a fifth-division title, a highly controversial bout with Paul, or steps back into the fire against a top contender, Ford’s assessment ensures that, as usual, scrutiny will intensify, and all will review Canelo’s future performance through the lens of a fighter facing the inevitable march of time.

Terence Crawford reveals his negotiations to fight Canelo Alvarez lasted for nine hours.

Crawford is coming off of a unanimous decision win against Canelo met in the ‘fight of the century’ on September 13.

As ‘Bud’ moved up two weight classes to action their bout, the boxing fraternity were left wondering how it even came about.

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During an interview with Andre Ward, Crawford has explained the gruelling process of negotiating the purse for his clash with Canelo.

It all unfolded while he was in Saudi Arabia for Shakur Stevenson’s fight in February.

On All The Smoke Fight, he said: “They brought me in there, we went into a little back room and we were there for like nine hours.

“Going back-and-forth.

“They weren’t budging, I wasn’t budging.”

Crawford was left to finalise the terms for the superfight, without the assistance of his legal team.

He continued: “We finally came to terms.

“That day, everything happened that day.”

“It wasn’t the agreement that they wanted, it wasn’t the agreement that I wanted.

“It was kind of in the middle.”

Why did the negotiations take so long?

Saudi boxing promoter, Turki Alalshikh, was not so keen on a match-up between Crawford and Canelo at first.

Although once Canelo had penned his four-fight deal with the Saudi giant, it became inevitable that Crawford would get his way.

The Mexican walked away from his scheduled fight with Jake Paul, in order to pursue the first fight of his deal with William Scull in May.

After claiming a unanimous decision win, he headed into back camp to gear up for the hotly anticipated showdown with ‘Bud’.

Once Alalshikh had given his nod of approval, it left the nine-hours of negotiations up for grabs for Crawford.

Juan Manuel Marquez reveals the shocking truth behind Canelo Alvarez’s loss to Terence Crawford

Canelo Alvarez’s recent defeat to Terence Crawford has sparked a wave of criticism and analysis across the boxing world. The Mexican superstar, who fell short in defending his undisputed super middleweight crown, appeared vulnerable against an opponent who boldly jumped two weight classes to challenge him in Las Vegas.

Fans and pundits alike were surprised by Canelo’s performance, as many expected the seasoned champion to dominate. Instead, Crawford’s tactical approach exposed gaps in strategy and execution, leading to one of the most scrutinized fights of Canelo’s career.

Juan Manuel Márquez Becomes Public Enemy No. 1 for "Canelo" Álvarez | beIN  SPORTS

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Among those sharing sharp insights is Juan Manuel Marquez, a former world champion and one of boxing’s most respected tacticians. Marquez knows what it takes to overcome elite opponents, and he was candid in assessing Canelo’s shortcomings.

What did Marquez see in Canelo’s performance?

Reflecting on the fight, Marquez told Izquierdazo“Canelo Alvarez lacked strategy, he lacked a corner, so to speak. He needed a bit more guidance, something like: ‘Don’t just throw power shots, throw combinations. Crawford is hitting you—counterpunch too, you know how to do it well.’”

He continued, “And Canelo does counterpunch well, so in that sense he needed a bit more strategy, a proper game plan. Maybe they were overconfident that weight would be a deciding factor, that power punches alone would do the job. But the strategy was missing.”

Marquez’s critique highlights that despite Canelo’s natural power and experience, boxing at the highest level requires both preparation and adaptability. The fight showcased how a lack of tactical adjustments can leave even the most accomplished fighters exposed.

Analysts and fans share the same concern

Other experts echoed Marquez’s observations, pointing to Canelo’s passivity during key moments of the bout. Analysts noted that relying solely on physical advantage and knockout power was insufficient against Crawford, who demonstrated skill, timing, and poise far beyond expectations.

For a fighter of Canelo’s caliber, these criticisms underline the importance of a cohesive game plan, strategic cornering, and in-fight adaptability—a combination that could define his future success against elite opponents.

Terence Crawford teases big ‘surprise’ in update as he meets with Turki Alalshikh after Canelo Alvarez win

Terence Crawford and Turki Alalshikh have met for the first time since his victory over Canelo Alvarez.

And it has become abundantly clear that they have already had conversations over the future of Crawford’s boxing career.

Alalshikh financially backed Crawford’s mega-fight with Alvarez last month, which saw him become undisputed super-middleweight champion, snatching the belts from the Mexican.

Terence Crawford teases big 'surprise' in update as he meets with Turki  Alalshikh after Canelo Alvarez win | talkSPORT

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Crawford has now achieved it all in the sport, winning world titles in five weight classes, and is now at a crossroads.

Immediately after the astonishing victory, Crawford suggested he has yet to consider his next move.

But he insisted he could retire from the sport, or even continue his career with a potential switch to 160lbs.

Now while stood alongside Saudi chief Alalshikh, an update was given on his future as he will now rest before making his next move.

Alalshikh said: “This is the gloves of the champ. He gave it to me, and it’s important. We do it.

“The champ has a lot of surprises for his city [Omaha, Nebraska], and the future.

“He wants to rest now for one or two months, and then we will tell you the surprise.”

Crawford then presented Alalshikh with the gloves from his fight, to which the Saudi chief was extremely appreciative.

What is next for Terence Crawford?

For now, Crawford’s future remains up in the air, but several fighters are forming an orderly queue to face the new pound-for-pound king.

Crawford would be heavily backed to go down and have huge succcess at 160lbs, given his seamless transition to 168lbs.

Unified WBO and IBF champion Janibek Alimkhanuly has already offered a shot to Crawford, should he chase history.

And the Kazakh fighter may have even unified the division by then, with talks over a clash with WBA champion Erislandy Lara reportedly in motion.

Crawford irrespective of his future has cemented his legacy as an all-time great.

And prior to his meeting with Alalshikh, ‘Bud’ refused to give anything away regarding his next move.

“To be honest, I don’t know what I’m gonna do,” Crawford said.

“Like I said, everything is up in the air right now. I’m just enjoying my family, enjoying being able to say, ‘Look what I accomplished.’

“I’m just chilling, right now, I haven’t even got the time to sit down with my team and talk with them.

“I talked with my family — I know what my family want. But you know, it’s a team effort.”