Canelo Alvarez Sounds Straightforward on Terence Crawford and Floyd Mayweather Comparison, Turns Boxing World on Its Head

Canelo Alvarez dropped a bombshell after Saturday night’s mega fight at Allegiant Stadium, one that may not sit well with Floyd Mayweather’s loyal fans. After taking a masterclass beating from Terence Crawford, the Mexican superstar surprised everyone by admitting that he rates ‘Bud’ higher than ‘Money’ Mayweather. The comment instantly sparked debate across the boxing world, but few are in a better position to make that comparison than the former undisputed super middleweight kingpin himself. After all, he has shared the ring with both men at the peak of their dominance.

Canelo Alvarez Declares Terence Crawford Superior to Floyd Mayweather

The typically composed former champion made the bold statement during the post-fight press conference. Moreover, the Mexican juggernaut appeared absolutely humbled by Crawford’s outing. The Omaha native dominated the scorecards 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, outboxing Álvarez over 12 rounds.

With this statement, he captured undisputed gold in three different divisions. For the unversed, this feat is something that no male fighter had accomplished before during the four-belt era. Speaking after the fight, Alvarez spoke of Crawford and said, “I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather.” 

“I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather.”

Canelo Alvarez compared Terence Crawford to Floyd Mayweather after losing the undisputed middleweight championship to Crawford. #Boxing #CaneloCrawford pic.twitter.com/aIylarWaex

— Sean Zittel (@Sean_Zittel) September 14, 2025

In 2013, then 23-year-old Alvarez lost to Mayweather by majority decision in what many considered a learning curve for the young Mexican. Twelve years later, facing Crawford at 34, Alvarez had no such excuses.

“He (Crawford) deserves all the credit. I tried my best tonight. I just cannot figure out the style. He has everything. I tried my best tonight,” Alvarez continued, and his respect for Crawford’s performance was evident in every word.

Coming to the numbers, Alvarez landed just 117 of 526 punches (22%) against Mayweather. Crawford arguably did better defensively, outlanding Alvarez 115-99 in total punches. Most importantly, he did so while moving up two weight classes to a much difficult 168lbs.

While Mayweather retired undefeated at 50-0, Crawford’s win over Alvarez at 37 years old represents likely the greatest pound-for-pound upset in recent memory. He now has lineal titles in 5 different weight classes, which likely makes him the best fighter of this generation.

Boxing Fans React to Canelo’s Straightforward Assessment

Boxing fans didn’t hold back while responding to Canelo Alvarez’s bold statement comparing Crawford to Mayweather, who is set to face Mike Tyson in a spring 2026 exhibition bout. Some understood his statement, while others offered outright dismissal.

One fan noted, “Predictable. He lost to Floyd when he was 23. He had no excuse today, so of course, Crawford is ‘better’. I think @FloydMayweather is maybe 1% better than Crawford, but generally they are dead even.”

Another one wrote, “As we saw in their fights, he doesn’t judge either of them well.” Mayweather supporters fired back hard. One opened up, penning, “Why bring up Mayweather, he’s retired… own the f**king loss. You said it would be easy and then got dismantled… focus on yourself, cuz you lost to both. That’s that dumb sh*t.”

Others questioned the Mexican’s mental state after the punches he absorbed. A fourth remarked, “He must be punch drunk,” while a random X user joked, “Floyd will be mad!”

The mixed reactions reflect boxing’s eternal debate about pound-for-pound greatness, but Alvarez shared what he experienced immediately. However, both boxers indeed hold different fighting skills.

Where Mayweather relied heavily on shoulder rolls and pot-shotting, Crawford fought with more aggression and variety against the Mexican fighter. The 42-0 undefeated champion switched stances effortlessly, controlled distance with his jab, and pressed the action when needed.