Aftermath
Following the victory, Crawford declared himself "the new face of boxing," emphasizing what he viewed as a career-defining performance.[74] In his post-fight interview, Crawford reflected on Álvarez's power and technique, stating, "He didn't hit as hard as I thought he was. He's definitely technical, but I've been hit harder."[75] He added that Álvarez became visibly discouraged as the bout progressed: "[Alvarez] was definitely frustrated, because what he was trying to do wasn't working, and when he'd get hit, he was just like, 'Man,' shaking his head like, 'I can't believe I got hit with that.'"[76]
Álvarez echoed that assessment in his own remarks, acknowledging the difficulty he faced in solving Crawford's approach. "I tried my best tonight and I just could not figure out the style," he said, later adding, "Everything [he did gave me the most trouble]. He has everything."[76] Álvarez also offered high praise for Crawford's performance, saying, "I think Crawford is way better than Floyd Mayweather."[77] The following month, the WBC and WBO entered Álvarez into their rankings at #1.[78][79]
Prior to the fight, it had been announced that Álvarez was scheduled to return to the ring in February 2026. During an episode of Inside The Ring, however, Mike Coppinger reported that Álvarez required elbow surgery, pushing his projected comeback to at least the third quarter of 2026.[80] Although he did not call for an immediate rematch in the aftermath of the bout, Álvarez stated in November 2025 that he intended to pursue a second fight with Crawford. Crawford's team had issued multiple rematch offers in the months following their first meeting, and this marked the first time Álvarez publicly expressed interest in accepting one.[81][82]
On December 3, the WBC stripped Crawford of their world title, claiming he had not paid $300,000 in sanctioning fees. It was described as "a slap in the face", by president Mauricio Sulaimán.[83] Crawford responded with a video on Instagram, saying, "Boy, you've got to slap your fucking self," and adding, "The fucking real belt is the Ring belt, which is free, motherfucker. [What] you talking about? You want me to pay you more than the other sanctioning bodies because you feel like you're better than them?"[84]
On December 14, Eddy Reynoso stated that Álvarez would not make a comeback for Cinco de Mayo in 2026, but rather go straight into a rematch with Crawford in September 2026.[85] Two days later, Crawford announced his retirement from boxing, ending any talks of a rematch in the future.[86]
On January 23, 2026, Zuffa Boxing held a follow-up event, Zuffa Boxing 01, which streamed live on Paramount+ from the Meta Apex in Enterprise, Nevada.[87]
