Combat & UFC

Álvarez says no rematch clause v Crawford was a ‘mistake’

Name: Álvarez says no rematch clause v Crawford was a ‘mistake’
Uploaded: 2026-07-22T21:51:00+00:00
Description: Álvarez says there was no rematch clause in his fight agreement with Terence Crawford, and calls that decision a mistake on his part. He adds that, in his view, a champion “always” needs to include a rematch clause, but says he did not do so “for some reason”.

The Ariel Helwani Show · Canelo Alvarez Disappointed Terence Crawford Rematch Didn't Happen, Next Fight Date, Defends Boxing · July 22, 2026

The Ariel Helwani Show

Canelo Alvarez Disappointed Terence Crawford Rematch Didn't Happen, Next Fight Date, Defends Boxing

"I know there wasn't a rematch clause. It was was a mistake in my sight to not sign the rematch, right? Because we the champion always need to do the rematch claus, right?"

Álvarez says there was no rematch clause in his fight agreement with Terence Crawford, and calls that decision a mistake on his part. He adds that, in his view, a champion “always” needs to include a rematch clause, but says he did not do so “for some reason”.

About this episode

Ariel Helwani interviews Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez across fight scheduling, career plans, and boxing business. Álvarez says a family issue prevented him from entering camp for a bout previously announced for 12 September, and he is now targeting 31 October with the event expected to take place in Riyadh, though the venue is not yet decided. He also discusses the practicalities of fighting in Saudi Arabia, saying he does not want to compete at an early-morning local time again.

On his loss to Terence Crawford, Álvarez attributes his performance primarily to being mentally unfocused during fight week, while stressing he does not want to “victimize” himself. He says there was no rematch clause and calls that omission a mistake, while expressing hope that Crawford will return to boxing. Looking ahead, Álvarez indicates he may have “three or four” fights left before retiring, citing business interests outside the ring.

Álvarez addresses the boxing landscape, defending the sport against comparisons with UFC and supporting the continued role of sanctioning belts. He describes a prior misunderstanding with Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh that was resolved after direct contact and a meeting in London. He also recounts discussions around a potential Jake Paul fight, alleging it was discouraged by the Saudi-aligned side, and touches on financial lessons from early-career spending mistakes.

Key takeaways

Álvarez says a family issue led him to postpone the 12 September fight and he is now targeting 31 October.
He expects the next bout to be in Riyadh, with the specific venue still undecided.
He says the Crawford contract had no rematch clause and calls that decision a mistake.
Álvarez says he has “three four more fights” left before retiring from boxing.
He describes a relationship reset with Turki Alalshikh after a misunderstanding and a London meeting.
Álvarez claims a Jake Paul fight was considered but discouraged by the Saudi-aligned side he later signed with.
He says he learned early financial lessons after spending down to about $200,000 in the bank in 2013.

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