Canelo Alvarez is reportedly preparing to revisit one of the most frustrating nights of his career, aiming for a 2026 rematch with Terence Crawford after losing a narrow unanimous decision in their September showdown. According to Salvador Rodriguez of ESPN Knockout, Canelo has already stated his intention to run it back to correct what he views as a tactical misstep rather than a clear defeat.
Crawford’s win was widely portrayed as a masterclass, but the fight itself was a cagey, low-action affair built around constant movement and sporadic pot-shotting from the undefeated champion. Canelo hammered the body throughout the 12 rounds but struggled to pin down the elusive Crawford, whose cat-and-mouse style drained the bout of drama.
For Canelo the rematch is as much about pride as it is about business. At 35, he remains one of boxing’s biggest earners, and Crawford still represents one of the highest-paying opponents available if Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh remains involved. Beyond Crawford, only matchups with David Benavidez or Artur Beterbiev offer comparable financial and fan appeal, and those could be even more explosive stylistically.
Whether Canelo can turn the tables, however, depends on his ability to solve the same puzzle Crawford posed the first time. The 38-year-old Crawford won’t change his approach; he’ll box, move, minimize exchanges, and look to stall rounds with sharp timing rather than pressure. That leaves Canelo with the burden of reinventing his footwork and creating the kind of sustained offense that never materialized at Allegiant Stadium.
If the rematch is finalized, it will be sold as another super-fight - but the intrigue lies in what Canelo can adjust.
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