As far as boxing goes, one thing is certain: if the Tyson Fury–Oleksandr Usyk fights defined 2024, then 2025 belongs to the monumental showdown between Terence Crawford and ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. After nearly two years of negotiations and back-and-forth discussions, the two pound-for-pound greats are set to meet in Las Vegas this September.
But with the fight finally on the horizon, a new question is emerging – what’s next? For ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, the roadmap is largely in place. His clash with Crawford is part of a four-fight deal he signed with Riyadh Season. Though unconfirmed, rumors are rife about his next two opponents in 2026. For Crawford, however, the future is less clear. Just weeks after facing ‘Canelo,’ the Nebraska native will turn 38. Some believe he may choose to retire. But a few others speculate he will continue fighting. Crawford recently dropped a few hints during an interview with The Ring magazine.
Terence Crawford’s next destination: Where does the road lead?
As the interview wrapped up, Manouk Akopyan posed a key question, “Once you reach that mountaintop, what do you do from there? It’s after Canelo; where do you go, right?” “Who knows, who knows?” Crawford responded vaguely. He hinted at the possibility of a rematch with ‘Canelo’ or another major fight. But Crawford made it clear that, for now, his focus remains entirely on his upcoming challenge.
June 10, 2018 – Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America – Undisputed Junior Welterweight champion Terence Crawford defeats WBO Welterweight Champion Jeff Horn via KO in the Ninth round of their WBO Welterweight title fight on June 9, 2018 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Terence Crawford KO s Jeff Horn To Win WBO Welterweight Title – ZUMAt114 20180610_zap_t114_524 Copyright: xMarcelxThomasx
“Right now I’m just focused on, you know, him right now, get my mind my body right, and just basically mentally preparing myself for everything that I have to do to, uh, secure a victory,” Crawford said. As most fans know, the WBO recently began steps to appoint a new mandatory challenger for Sebastian Fundora‘s light middleweight title, following Crawford’s indication that he may not be returning to the division. However, he still holds the WBA belt.
So Akopyan reminded him, “You still have that 154 lb. title. If there is an opportunity for you to go clean up 154 in one fight, let’s say either Fundora or Murtazaliev, if they got the other three belts all of a sudden, is that a fight you would want as well to be an Undisputed?”
Crawford found the idea intriguing. “Them options, them options,” he said, but added, “We just got to we got to weigh it out and just see what, you know, happens after this fight.” Akopyan pointed out that the 154-pound division doesn’t offer the same ‘legacy-defining’ fight as his clash with ‘Canelo.’
Not ruling anything out
So if Crawford had to pick the best fighter in the division for his next bout, who would it be? The former undisputed champion remained diplomatic. “It’s a lot of great fighters out there. I don’t want to disrespect any of the fighters just by saying one or the other is the best in the division,” he said. However, if they fight (among themselves), Crawford emphasized that there’s a chance he could face the winner.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 20: WBO champion Terence Crawford waits for the start of a welterweight title fight against Shawn Porter at Michelob ULTRA Arena on November 20, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
When pressed further about his future plans, Crawford remained noncommittal. Asked whether he’d return to a lower weight class after bulking up for ‘Canelo,’ he said it would depend on the right opportunity. If a fight makes sense for his career, he’ll consider it. For now, his focus is solely on ‘Canelo.’
For fans of boxing’s first two-division undisputed champion in the modern era, that means there’s still hope. Crawford isn’t shutting the door on future fights just yet. They just need to keep their fingers crossed.
So, who do you think would be the best opponent for Crawford after ‘Canelo’?
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