Mike Tyson happy to skip Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford if it is made

Legendary “Iron” Mike Tyson is not interested in seeing Canelo Alvarez fight Terence Crawford despite the many calls for the bout.

Omaha’s Crawford, 36 and 41-0 (31 KOs), has continuously spoken of his desire to face superstar Alvarez at 168, following a keenly-contested unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles last month.

Tyson, a former undisputed heavyweight fighter from 1987 to 1990, thinks Crawford’s performance against Madrimov at 154 proved that a 168-pound clash with Alvarez would be a tall order for the newly-crowned WBA junior middleweight champ.

In an interview on the Come And Talk 2 Me podcast, Tyson said he was not in favor of a potential Alvarez-Crawford fight happening.

“I don’t like that fight,” said Tyson. “It’s just too much weight. And he had a close fight with the last guy [Madrimov] he fought because this guy was big, and he was awkward. He was really awkward.

“He shouldn’t have fought that guy. He should have fought a guy that would’ve come straight at him. The guy was too awkward. He was hurt.”

Alvarez of Mexico, 34, is yet to announce his next opponent after a dominant unanimous decision win over Edgar Berlanga a week ago at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), who could return early next year, had said he preferred a rematch with undefeated light heavyweight Russian titlist Dmitry Bivol next. The duo – Alvarez and Bivol – slugged it out two years ago at 175 with the Russian triumphing with a unanimous decision. 

But Tyson wants Alvarez to fight David Benavidez in what he believes is the biggest showdown in the sport at the moment. When asked why he thinks Alvarez is yet to fight Benavidez, Tyson said: “Well, I don’t know. I think we need to bring him in and ask him that because that’s a big fight for him. He doesn’t wanna fight him. I don’t know. I have to talk to Canelo about that”.

To Tyson, Alvarez’s attitude towards the Benavidez fight implies only one thing.

“Well, it appears that way to everybody in the world as he’s running from the guy. He’s not gonna fight the guy, he doesn’t wanna fight the guy.”

Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at [email protected].