Terence Crawford’s decision to retire rather than pursue a rematch with Canelo Alvarez may have been about more than timing — it may have been about control.

Speaking to Fight Hub TV, veteran trainer Joel Diaz suggested a second fight would not have been fought on level terms. In other words, Diaz believes the sequel would have carried pressures that go beyond the ropes.

“He retired, Terence did. We don’t know if, you know— I’m glad he did.”

Pressed on why, Diaz did not hesitate.

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“Because unfortunately, and I’m gonna say it, a lot of people are gonna be mad at me, because unfortunately, the fact that he won, working on a rematch, they were gonna make his life miserable for a rematch for him to lose the next one.”

Host Marcos Villegas asked, “You think so?”

“Oh, hell yeah. Yeah, that’s the way boxing works. They were gonna make his life miserable. Why? Because Canelo has always been the favorite. And on the rematch, they were gonna find a way to make Canelo the winner of the next one.”

Those are serious claims about how high-profile rematches operate at the top of boxing. Diaz is not talking about tactics or conditioning. He is talking about the pressure that follows an upset when the sport’s biggest commercial name is on the losing end.

A Rematch That Was Already In Motion
World Boxing News first reported that a return bout was targeted for May 2026 before Alvarez underwent elbow surgery, which pushed plans off schedule.

Even after that setback, Crawford publicly stated he would never return for $100 million.

That refusal shifted the conversation. It was no longer about the purse. It became about what a rematch would add — and what it might take away.

Diaz believes it was the wrong gamble.

“If Crawford decides to retire and never come back, in the books of boxing forever in history, hey, look at this guy. He came from 54 to 68, beat the king of boxing, took all the belts, and retired.”

From that perspective, the timing of the exit was not avoidance. It was preservation.

Crawford defeated Canelo decisively. There was no dispute about the result. But Diaz is arguing that a rematch, especially one built around restoring the sport’s biggest draw, would have carried forces beyond the ropes.

Major rematches in boxing rarely unfold in a vacuum, especially when the sport’s biggest draw is seeking redemption.

Whether fans agree with that assessment or not, it reflects a familiar tension in boxing when the commercial A-side loses.

Crawford walked away with the belts. He walked away with validation. And if Diaz is right, he walked away before the politics of a sequel could rewrite the ending.

It’s been exactly five months since the mega fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.

The latter became a three-division undisputed champion, beating, arguably, one of the best boxers of the generation.

Three months later, however, ‘Bud’ announced his retirement from the sport, finishing his boxing career undefeated. This came at a special time, though.

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In the days leading up to his retirement, there was much talk about Crawford’s next fight. Many speculated whether he would move down to middleweight for another undisputed run or if a rematch was in the works. However, it all fizzled out when Bud announced his retirement. Now, a renowned boxing trainer says, “I’m glad he [retired].” Why?

Team Canelo Alvarez would have made Terence Crawford lose

“I’m gonna say [this, and] a lot of people are gonna be mad at me,” acclaimed boxing trainer Joel Diaz told Fight Hub TV’s Marcos Villegas. “The fact that [Crawford] won, working on a rematch, they [Canelo’s team] were gonna make [Crawford’s] life miserable for a rematch for [Crawford] to lose the next one.”

According to Joel Diaz, “that’s the way boxing works.” He explained that Canelo Alvarez has long been the favorite—a major draw with significant influence in the sport. And on the rematch, Canelo’s team would’ve found a way to ensure he won the next one.

Thanks to Canelo’s massive purses, everyone involved stands to earn a bigger cut if he wins, which incentivizes them to root for him to win and remain on top. However, with his loss, that popularity and pulling power may begin to fade. And with Canelo approaching retirement, the window to capitalize on his star power is shrinking, making the financial stakes even higher.

The trainer, who coached Crawford’s opponent before Canelo, Israil Madrimov, also suggested that Terence Crawford’s decision to step away from the sport protects his legacy from being tarnished. “In the books of boxing, forever in history, look at this guy,” he explained. “He came from 54 to 68, beat the king of boxing and took all the belts and retired.

“I know there’s a lot of temptations. There [are] millions of dollars… Yes, it’s tempting, but you know what? Money comes and goes, and at the end of the day, money is not going to last forever. What’s going to last forever? A legacy.”

Diaz also trained Dmitry Bivol for the latter’s fight against Canelo in May 2022. And Bivol is one of only three fighters who have managed to beat ‘Cinnamon,’ including Floyd Mayweather. Coming back to the point, though, Canelo hasn’t fought since his loss to Crawford last year.

However, that hasn’t stopped the Mexican boxing legend from continuing to pursue Crawford anyway.

Alvarez blames ‘leg cramps’ for Crawford loss; wants rematch

After getting dominated, Canelo believes physical issues may have played a part in his diminished performance. “I tried, but my body didn’t respond,” Alvarez said. “I had cramps in my legs, so it didn’t respond the way I wanted.”

He admitted mistakes in both training camp and execution. “We learn from that and move forward… I know what mistakes I made in the fight and in the camp, too,” he added. Alvarez believes a second fight would look very different and argues Crawford owes him that opportunity. “After the fight,” he said. “I said we need to run this fight back because I didn’t really feel the way I wanted.

“For him to deserve all the credit, he needs to give me the rematch.”

Whether the rematch actually materializes remains uncertain. But Joel Diaz’s comments have cast a troubling shadow over the situation, hinting at a darker possibility that could reflect poorly on Canelo Alvarez. If the fight does happen, will Diaz’s claims prove justified—or will they be put to rest once and for all?

Canelo Alvarez says his body did not respond the way he wanted on the night he faced Terence Crawford, but the bigger point may be why he felt he could not step aside in the first place.

Speaking on a Ring podcast, Alvarez described issues that surfaced during the fight, including fatigue, heavy legs, and cramps. He also made clear he was not using that as a way to take anything away from Crawford.

“My body didn’t respond the way I really wanted,” Alvarez said. “I wanted to move faster. I didn’t recuperate my weight like I needed. So, I felt a little bit tired, and my legs felt a little bit tired, too.

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“I did well, even if my body didn’t really feel like I wanted. I tried, but my body didn’t respond.

“I had cramps in my legs, so it doesn’t respond the way I want.”

Alvarez then explained why the outcome still feels unfinished to him, even while giving Crawford full credit.

“I always give all his credit but we need to run it back,” Alvarez said. “That’s why, after the fight, I say ‘we need to run it back, this fight’ because I don’t feel the way I really want, and I need to make this fight happen again, and it’s going to be different.

“I think for him to deserve all the credit, he needs to give me the rematch, obviously. But he decides to retire, and we need to accept that and move forward.

“I’m going to keep moving forward and do the fights I want and fight world champions again, and that’s it. But I think the rematch will be perfect for boxing.”

Why Walking Away Was Not Simple
At the top level, fights are not always taken when everything feels perfect. Sometimes the decision is made because the cost of pulling out feels worse than the cost of going through with it.

For Alvarez, stepping aside from a Crawford fight would not have been treated like a normal withdrawal. When the opponent is that big, the timing is that tight, and the event is that public, the story quickly turns into something else.

That is what Alvarez’s comments really underline. They are less about explaining a performance and more about explaining why the option to walk away did not feel clean at the time.

Future Plans May Close The Door Further
World Boxing News understands Turki Alalshikh is working behind the scenes on Alvarez’s next move, and that direction may not naturally leave room for Crawford on the other side of the ring.

Discussions are ongoing about a WBC title challenge for Alvarez against Christian Mbilli on September 12. The already confirmed Mexico vs. The World card is part of that picture, and it is not an obvious fit for a Crawford rematch anyway.

If that is the route Alvarez takes, Crawford could end up with a long reprieve. The window may not reopen until 2027, when the question would shift from legacy talk to a simple choice: stay retired, or return for the kind of money that forces a hard decision.

In the meantime, Alvarez has done something most stars avoid. He has admitted his body did not give him what he wanted that night, while also making clear he is moving forward. That combination is why the Crawford fight still lingers in the background, even with no rematch in sight. – If you use these WBN quotes, please link back to the source: https://www.worldboxingnews.com/canelo-cant-walk-away-from-crawford/

Canelo Alvarez gives honest assessment of what went wrong against Terence Crawford

At Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2025, Terence Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) defeated Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) by unanimous decision.

This historic win saw Crawford become a three-division undisputed champion and four-division lineal champion. Crawford decided to retire soon after, and Canelo has now returned to the public eye, appearing on the Mr Verzace Podcast with Rick Reeno, discussing what went wrong for him in that defeat.

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Crawford beats Canelo to become the undisputed super middleweight king

The opening few rounds of Canelo-Crawford were cagey, with Crawford moving well and Canelo attempting to close the distance

As the fight progressed, “Bud” began to pick his punches impressively while staying mobile, avoiding heavy counters from his Mexican opponent.

Despite sustaining a cut late in the fight, Crawford could not be beaten, and he continued to box with poise, firing off eye-catching combinations. The Omaha native deserved the win, and the judges agreed, awarding him a unanimous decision win with cards of 116-112 and 115-113 (x2).

Canelo Alvarez addresses what went wrong against Crawford

Talking with Rick Reeno, Canelo discussed what went wrong against Crawford, while addressing the importance of moving forward:

“I try, but my body doesn’t respond. I have cramps in my leg, so, doesn’t respond the way I really want, but you know, it is what it is. We learn from that, and we move forward. And I know what mistakes I made in the fight, and in the camp too. But that’s what boxing’s about. 

“I think a winner doesn’t mean you need to win every time. You need to learn from everything, from the losses, take the losses, and learn from that and move forward and are still doing the things you love,” said Canelo Alvarez.

The Future for Canelo

Turki Alalshikh recently announced that Canelo Alvarez will be back in action on September 12 as part of the “Mexico against The World” card in Riyadh.

Crawford announced his retirement toward the end of 2025, seemingly extinguishing any hope of Canelo vs Crawford 2, but it seems the Mexican feels he has more to give, and all eyes turn to September 12 to see what Canelo Alvarez has left.