He cited leg cramps. Heavy legs. A body that “didn’t respond the way I really want.” He insists it would be different the second time. That is the entire sales pitch.
There was no scoring controversy. No robbery narrative. No disputed knockdowns. Crawford won clean. The only angle for a return lies in whether people think Canelo Álvarez left something in the locker room that night, and that is a thin foundation for a second fight.
The version of Canelo that struggled with pace against Crawford did not appear out of nowhere. The same signs showed up in fights with Jaime Munguia, Edgar Berlanga, and William Scull. He took command of those rounds and secured the victories, though the punch output came in bursts, the footwork lacked its old snap, and the reactions beat a half-step behind the version that once punished every opening.
He could get through those nights without being pressed the way Crawford pressed him.
So when Canelo says the first fight was compromised by cramps and fatigue, fans have to decide what they believe. Was it a one-night physical issue or was it the same gradual physical decline that has shown itself more than once?
Boxing fans are used to hearing post-loss explanations. Injuries happen. Bad nights happen. Aging happens, too. It rarely arrives all at once. It shows up in small moments. A half step slower. A round lost because the legs do not fire.
The rematch turns on whether people believe him. Fans who view that night as a dip from his usual level can imagine a different fight the second time. Others see a fighter settling into a later phase of his career, where the looks are familiar and the questions already answered, leaving little intrigue in running it back.
That’s the real hurdle. Convincing people that the first fight wasn’t the real version is the tough part.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, recognized for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reporting focuses on major bouts, divisional developments, and the sport’s most discussed storylines.