Story by
Canelo Alvarez calls out Terence Crawford for retiring before a possible rematch
- Story by
- Canelo Alvarez calls out Terence Crawford for retiring before a possible rematch
Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Netflix
Canelo Alvarez has framed Terence Crawford's retirement as an unfinished chapter rather than a definitive conclusion.
Reflecting on his loss, Canelo Alvarez made clear he believes a rematch was necessary to fully settle the rivalry with Terence Crawford.
Advertisement
Instead, Crawford's decision to step away from boxing has left Canelo questioning how the fight will ultimately be judged.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix
Canelo Alvarez says Terence Crawford retired before settling the rivalry
Canelo Alvarez addressed the aftermath of his defeat by Terence Crawford by stressing that he felt far from his best on the night and believed the matchup deserved a second chapter.
The Mexican star accepted the result but maintained that the circumstances surrounding the bout left him convinced a rematch would have produced a different outcome.
"Yeah, of course. I always give all his credit, but we need to run it back. 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."
Advertisement
That belief fed directly into his frustration when Crawford chose retirement rather than reopening negotiations.
Canelo Alvarez questions whether Crawford earned full credit
Canelo Alvarez went further by suggesting that Crawford's decision to retire prevented the win from being fully resolved in the ring.
"I think for him to deserve all the credit, he need to give me the rematch, obviously. But he decide to retire, and we need to accept that and move forward."
While acknowledging that the choice ultimately rests with Crawford, Alvarez framed the retirement as a missed opportunity to remove any lingering doubt.
Advertisement
Looking ahead, Alvarez made clear he is not interested in easing his way back, saying, "I don't want an easy fight and come back and all that kind of sh-t. I want to go straight and fight champions."
The comments left little doubt that, in Canelo's view, Crawford's exit closed the door on a definitive ending, even as boxing moved on without the rematch he believes was still owed.
Read more:
