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It has been close to a month since Terence Crawford defeated Canelo Alvarez, and talk of Canelo vs Crawford 2 has barely flickered. Moving up two weight classes should have been a risk for Bud, but he controlled the night from the opening bell and never really let Canelo into the fight. For Canelo, it was a third career defeat, and perhaps the most sobering of all.
When Canelo vs Crawford was signed, many assumed there would be a second meeting. With more than 40 million tuning in on Netflix and Canelo banking upwards of £80m, the commercial appeal was obvious. But as the weeks pass, and with little noise from either fighter’s camp or on their social media channels, the likelihood of a rematch seems slimmer by the day.
For Alvarez, that quiet only adds to the uncertainty about where he goes from here; uncertainty that looks very different now compared to when he made his ringwalk on the 13th of September.
Canelo vs Crawford – Alvarez’s Dilemma
Before the fight, the Canelo vs Crawford Paddy Power odds placed Alvarez as favourite. Crawford flipped those numbers inside twelve rounds, winning so convincingly that bookmakers would have little choice but to install him as odds-on if they ever met again. From a boxing betting perspective, it would mark a complete reversal: Canelo moving from favourite to underdog in the space of a single fight.
For Canelo, that reality creates a dilemma. At 35, with his body no longer what it was, chasing Crawford again may risk not only another defeat but also lasting damage to his legacy. Walking away protects the reputation he has already earned as one of boxing’s greatest fighters and entertainers.
Bud’s Incentive
Crawford, on the other hand, has every reason to welcome a second fight should he not retire. Another huge payday, the chance to beat Canelo twice, and the opportunity to strengthen his case as the best pound-for-pound fighter of his era. His IQ, speed, and tactical control were all too much the first time, and he would step back in the ring with confidence.
For the Nebraska native, victory in Las Vegas added to a resume that already included dominant wins across three other weight classes. A rematch could make him the face of the sport, eclipsing even the star power of the vanquished Canelo.
Between Pride and Preservation
The reality is that time is not on Canelo’s side. The Mexican built his career by taking on all-comers — Mayweather, Golovkin, Kovalev — but the smartest move now may be to accept that Crawford has his number, something he is rumoured to have already admitted behind the scenes. That acknowledgement makes the prospect of running it back even harder to picture.
After all, the unanimous decision in Las Vegas was so comprehensive that there is already a sense of lull among fight fans. Bud has tried to keep the conversation alive by hinting that a rematch would not go the distance and that he would force a stoppage this time. While that is not beyond the realms of possibility, many feel he has already proved his point, and another twelve rounds might simply be surplus to requirements.
Nearly a month on, the silence from Canelo’s camp suggests the decision may already have been made. For Crawford, the door remains open, but for Canelo the wiser move may be to let sleeping dogs lie.
