Canelo Alvarez addresses loss to Terence Crawford and past bout issues

Mexican boxer Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez has addressed his unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford, which occurred last September at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford’s victory made him the first fighter to unify titles across three different weight divisions.

Álvarez stated that while his physical preparation and training camp were excellent, his mental strength was not at the required level during the fight. He noted that several unforeseen and disruptive situations occurred during the week leading up to the match, which severely impacted his concentration. He emphasized that he does not wish to play the victim, acknowledging that these uncontrollable circumstances were key to the outcome.

Separately, Mauricio Sulaimán, president of the World Boxing Council (WBC), commented on the impact of mandatory defenses, specifically referencing Álvarez’s 2021 fight against Avni Yildirim. Sulaimán admitted that forcing that specific mandatory bout, following the pandemic and Yildirim’s two-year inactivity, caused “damage to boxing, damage to Canelo, damage to the fans, and damage to the promoters.”