Canelo before Mbilli: a Crawford rematch appeals to him more than Bivol
Asked which rematch he would prefer, Canelo picks Terence Crawford over Dmitry Bivol – because that defeat is recent. Crawford, however, has retired.
Archive image · Photo: Box Azteca / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez has told DAZN Boxing which of his defeats he would most like to avenge. "I think that Crawford, right now, is the fight that I want right now because it [the loss] was recent, so that is why," the Mexican said, according to Boxing News.
Crawford beat Canelo in September 2025 and took all four major super-middleweight titles. He then retired and, according to Boxing News, turned down a rematch. Canelo lost on points to Dmitry Bivol at light heavyweight in 2022.
First, though, Canelo faces Saturday's fight in Riyadh, where he challenges WBC champion Christian Mbilli. It is his first outing after a 13-month layoff – the longest of his career.