Terence Crawford Reveals Why There Was No Canelo Alvarez Rematch Clause

Terence Crawford has broken his silence on why a rematch with Canelo Alvarez never materialized, revealing in a new interview that no rematch clause ever existed in the contract for their blockbuster 2025 fight. The undefeated boxing legend’s comments have reignited conversation across the sport just months into his retirement.

Crawford, who retired in December 2025 after defeating Alvarez by unanimous decision to become the first male boxer in the four-belt era to win undisputed titles in three weight classes, made the revelation during an appearance on The Breakfast Club. The Omaha native closed his career at 42-0 with 31 knockouts, capping a run that included undisputed reigns at light welterweight, welterweight, and super middleweight.

No Clause, No Discussions

Speaking on the nationally syndicated radio show, Crawford was direct about why a second fight with Alvarez was never on the table. He explained there was no contractual obligation for a rematch and that neither side ever raised the possibility of running it back after his win at Allegiant Stadium last September.

“Canelo, that was off the table. There was no rematch clause. Nobody said anything about Canelo. Still to this day, nobody have said nothing about Canelo,” Crawford said. He added that had a rematch clause existed, he would have honored it, saying it was simply part of who he is as a competitor.

Crawford also made clear his retirement wasn’t solely tied to the outcome of the Alvarez fight. He said he surveyed the rest of the boxing landscape afterward and didn’t see a matchup left that would meaningfully add to his legacy, which factored heavily into his decision to walk away at 38 years old.

The Fight That Got Away

In the same wave of interviews, Crawford also opened up about two fights that never came together during his career. He told ESPN that a proposed unification bout with Manny Pacquiao in mid-2025 fell apart when financial backers pulled out, calling it the one fight he still feels “got away” from him.

Separately, Crawford said he was previously lined up to face Janibek Alimkhanuly before that fight collapsed after news broke that Alimkhanuly had tested positive for performance-enhancing substances. “Then it came out that Janibek was on performance enhancers. That fight got cancelled. I’m into making history,” Crawford said on The Breakfast Club.

Despite the two fights slipping away, Crawford has repeatedly said he has no regrets about how his career concluded, pointing to his historic three-division undisputed run as validation of a Hall of Fame-caliber body of work.

Life After the Ring

Crawford has stayed connected to the sport since hanging up his gloves. He joined TNT’s boxing broadcast team as an analyst, appearing alongside fellow former champions Shawn Porter and Timothy Bradley for the network’s coverage, marking his first extended run in the media chair since retiring.

He has also used recent interviews to address speculation about a possible in-ring comeback, stating he has been approached about potential fights since retiring but has not received anything resembling a serious, concrete offer. Crawford has maintained that he is comfortable with retirement and does not see himself returning to competition.

Alvarez, for his part, has continued to express interest in a rematch even as he moves forward with other bouts, though with Crawford retired and firm in that stance, any sequel to last September’s fight remains hypothetical for now. Crawford was also stripped of his WBC title over unpaid sanctioning fees after the Alvarez win, meaning any future bout would no longer carry undisputed stakes even if circumstances changed.

The September 2025 win over Alvarez remains one of the richest events in boxing history, drawing a live gate north of $47 million at Allegiant Stadium and more than 41 million viewers on Netflix. Two judges scored the bout 116-112 and 115-113, with a third also scoring it 115-113, all in Crawford’s favor, as he moved up two full weight classes to dethrone the longtime face of the sport. Bettors who backed Crawford at underdog odds heading into fight week saw one of the biggest outright upsets in recent boxing history, and many used a DraftKings promo code or a FanDuel promo code to get in on the action.

For now, Crawford’s focus remains on his broadcast role and life outside the ring, with his comments this week offering the clearest explanation yet for why boxing’s biggest recent superfight will not get a second chapter. Fans looking ahead to the next major combat sports betting markets can find odds coverage and offers through our sportsbook reviews hub.