Did Terence Crawford troll UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria with his Desperado-themed walkout against Canelo Alvarez on Saturday? The undisputed three division champion played things off as a coincidence, but we have to wonder if there’s something there.
Crawford walked out to the ring on Saturday night as Cancion Del Mariachi from the movie Desperado played over Allegiant Stadium’s speakers. That’s the same song Ilia Topuria has walked out to through his UFC career, and the tune has become synonymous with “El Matador” to Spanish fans.
Leading up to Saturday’s event, Topuria fired off a challenge to Crawford, claiming he’d finish the boxing champion should they ever meet in the ring. “Bud” replied during media day interviews, suggesting Ilia was drunk. But he insisted after his big UD win over Canelo that he didn’t know his walkout music matched Topuria’s.
“Well, you know, it was part of my outfit,” Crawford said. “You know, the outfit was inspired by the movie Desperado. As you see now, the guitar and everything. And my great childhood friend, Rescendo Robas, he was the one that carried the song out and performed tonight. And it was a wonderful night.”
“Like I said, I got Mexicans and Latinos on my side as well, so it was a beautiful night tonight.”
When a reporter told him Ilia Topuria walked out to the song in UFC, he shrugged.
“Did he?” he said. “Oh, good. Good for him.”
Topuria wasn’t as chill in response.
“First he calls me drunk … then he walks out to MY song,” Topuria wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Crawford, whenever you want, I’ll teach you how to dance that mariachi in the ring. And Canelo, I’ll save you a round after him.”
After watching Crawford handle Canelo at 167.5 pounds, the idea of seeing Topuria step into the ring to challenge him seems silly. “Bud” has better things to do in boxing than fight Topuria, and Topuria has legitimate challengers for his belt at 155 pounds to face in the UFC.
The message sent at the post-fight press conference couldn’t be clearer: Bud’s not even thinking about you, bro.
