Terence Crawford dethroned Canelo Alvarez and claimed the undisputed super middleweight crown, making history yet again.
With a sold-out Allegiant Stadium roaring and millions tuning in worldwide, ‘Bud’ proved why he belongs in the conversation for the greatest fighters of all time. But in the shadow of Crawford’s triumph, old wounds from Alvarez’s past are being reopened.
UFC veteran Chael Sonnen, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, recently reminded fans of a night in 2013 when Canelo Alvarez stepped into the ring with Floyd Mayweather and left with a painful lesson. But more importantly, he even came up short when compared to Conor McGregor and Logan Paul!
Chael Sonnen calls out Canelo Alvarez’s performance against Floyd Mayweather
Speaking in a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen began by stating, “There’s not usually a time in boxing where a guy can have anything but a zero in his loss column and the guy can still get over. Not only was that not the case, Canelo was valued, just dollars and cents, at 10 times more valuable than Crawford. Oh, by the way, Crawford is the only one that showed up with an undefeated record.”
‘The Bad Guy’ then turned the spotlight on Canelo Alvarez’s most famous defeat. While he made a slip-up with the Mexican superstar’s age, as he was 23 at the time, Sonnen further stated in the video, “When Canelo at 21 years old, got in there with an aging Floyd Mayweather, I believe Floyd was 36 at the time, if I’m wrong he was 35. I watched it live. It’s just been so long ago, been 12 or 13 years. But he lost 10 rounds. Canelo didn’t just lose to Floyd, he lost 10 rounds. Conor McGregor won multiple rounds against Floyd. Logan Paul won lots of rounds against Floyd.”
In his eyes, “I just thought that would help put things in perspective.” Now, the facts matter here. Conor McGregor‘s bout against Mayweather in 2017 was a professional contest, one that went into the record books. The Irishman surprised experts by starting strong, even taking early rounds on some cards before Mayweather’s experience carried him to a tenth-round stoppage. Many observers at the time, including legends like George Foreman and Mike Tyson, praised McGregor for exceeding expectations.
Logan Paul‘s 2021 exhibition was a different story. With no official winner announced, the social media star’s “victory” came in simply surviving eight rounds. Yet the fact that he made it the distance, despite being outclassed statistically, was enough to shift public perception.
As for Canelo Alvarez? His 2013 fight was a masterclass in Mayweather’s defensive genius. Despite being the bigger, younger man, he landed only 22% of his punches. Mayweather’s accuracy and control left Alvarez looking out of ideas. Fans and media alike scored it overwhelmingly for ‘Money’, even if one judge controversially called it a draw.
So, what does it all mean? Perhaps that legacy in boxing is not just about belts and records. It’s also about moments, the kind fans remember long after the final bell. And on that score, Conor McGregor and Logan Paul may have walked away with something Canelo Alvarez never did: moral victories against Floyd Mayweather. However, it’s not just Alvarez’s past that is now under the lens. Because according to a legendary boxer, Alvarez’s performance against Crawford left a lot to be desired!
Alvarez gets blasted by Oscar De La Hoya for hitting “air” against Terence Crawford
Oscar De La Hoya did not hold back. The former champion, who once promoted Canelo Alvarez, made it clear he saw the outcome coming before the first bell rang. After Crawford’s unanimous decision win, De La Hoya fired off a blunt assessment on Instagram as he stated, “I predicted the Canelo-Crawford fight like a goddamn fortune teller. Canelo’s feet were cemented on the canvas and he was hitting air. What the f– was that?”
Crawford, moving up three divisions, not only matched Alvarez physically but outclassed him technically. As such, De La Hoya continued with, “He just played with Canelo.” The former promoter also dismissed any excuses about age, pointing out that Crawford is older than Alvarez.
For De La Hoya, this wasn’t about decline; it was about exposure. “The only real fighters he’s faced were [Floyd] Mayweather, [Dmitry] Bivol and Crawford and they all toyed with him,” he stated. In his eyes, Canelo Alvarez’s career has been built on hype and favorable matchmaking, not true greatness.
Adding extra sting, De La Hoya even claimed Floyd Mayweather bet $50,000 on Crawford to win, calling it further proof that insiders knew how lopsided this matchup would be. Legacy in combat sports is rarely about numbers alone. It’s about moments that defy expectation, performances that echo in memory.
McGregor and Paul, outsiders who shocked the world by simply lasting with Mayweather, created unforgettable moments. But for Canelo Alvarez, the moments that should have defined him are instead the ones critics now use to tear him down.
