Terence Crawford's Reported Return Date Changes Canelo Alvarez Rematch Outlook

The boxing world has been eagerly awaiting what Terence Crawford's next move might be ever since he beat Canelo Alvarez on September 13 to take Canelo's undisputed super middleweight belts.

Crawford cemented his legacy as one of the greatest boxers of this century with that victory, and also made history by becoming the first male boxer to become an undisputed champion in three different weight classes across their career.

While the purse Crawford secured was never made public, there's no question that he also made an unprecedented amount of money to fight Canelo.

Therefore, Crawford is presumably set for life financially and regarding his boxing legacy. This has led many to speculate about whether Crawford would hang up the gloves and call it a career. He's 38 years old, after all, and there's a case to be made that returning to the ring could only harm his legacy at this point, in case he suffered a loss.

Insider Reveals Terence Crawford Boxing Return Timeline

Canelo vs Crawford — Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez fight on September 13, 2025. | IMAGO / Hoganphotos

The biggest story in boxing over the past week has been Gervonta Davis having a domestic violence lawsuit filed against him earlier this week, which ultimately led to his November 14 exhibition bout against Jake Paul being canceled.

Before this cancellation was confirmed, news broke that Jake Paul's team reached out to several fighters to be potential late-notice replacements for Tank. Terence Crawford was one of the people Paul's team reportedly reached out to.

However, in declining this fight summons, Crawford also shed light on what his boxing future will entail. This was conveyed in a November 4 X post from Sports Illustrated boxing insider Chris Mannix, who wrote, "Terence Crawford is not in the mix to face Jake Paul, sources say. Crawford is targeting his own event in March.

Terence Crawford is not in the mix to face Jake Paul, sources say. Crawford is targeting his own event in March. Manny Pacquiao, I'm told, who recently returned to the Philippines, is focused on closing a 147-pound title showdown with Rolly Romero.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 4, 2025

"Manny Pacquiao, I'm told, who recently returned to the Philippines, is focused on closing a 147-pound title showdown with Rolly Romero," the post added.

What Terence Crawford Return Timeline Means for Canelo Alvarez Rematch

Many fans want to see Crawford rematch Canelo in his next bout, if only because the elbow surgery Canelo had soon after the fight suggests that he wasn't fully healthy when facing Crawford for the first time.

However, Crawford's reported desire to return in March means he likely won't be taking Canelo next, given that Canelo is expected to be sidelined until around the middle of next year while he heals from the elbow surgery.

Therefore, this report appears to confirm that Crawford won't be rematching Canelo next.

Yall thought Canelo was going to beat Crawford??? THIS IS WHO RAISED CRAWFORD!!! HE GOT SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AND DROVE HIMSELF TO THE HOSPITAL!!! #crawfordvscanelo pic.twitter.com/Tj2T2n67dj
— swervo (@playboyswervo) September 14, 2025

Although Canelo's next fight could still be against Crawford, as there's always a chance these two could duke it out down the line at some point. This is why fans who want to see this rematch can continue to hold out hope.

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