Sep 13, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canelo Alvarez (black/gold trunks) and Terence Crawford (black/red trunks) box during their super middleweight title bout at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

mma

Terence Crawford Intensifies Feud With Ilia Topuria After Walkout Song Choice; Gets A Response From ‘El Matador’

Terence Crawford just made boxing history by beating Canelo Alvarez to become undisputed champion in three different weight classes. Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria sits comfortably as the UFC lightweight champion with an undefeated record. Fans would think these two champions from different sports would have mutual respect for each other. Instead, their feud has been brewing and just reached a boiling point after Crawford’s walkout song choice sparked fresh controversy.

The drama between Terence Crawford and Ilia Topuria kicked into high gear when the newly crowned boxing champion decided to walk out to “Cancion del Mariachi” by Antonio Banderas. This might seem like an innocent song choice, but Topuria took it as a personal insult since it’s the exact same track he uses for his UFC entrances. Crawford’s decision to use Topuria’s signature walkout music felt like a deliberate slap in the face to the Spanish-Georgian fighter.

Ilia Topuria Takes Issue With Terence Crawford’s Walkout Song

The beef between these two champions started earlier in fight week when Topuria made some bold claims on social media. He declared that he would knock out Crawford with his very first punch if they ever met in a boxing ring. Crawford’s response was swift and dismissive, calling Topuria “delusional” and suggesting he was “drunk” when he made those comments.

Terence Crawford reacts to Ilia Topuria saying he’d KO him with one punch 👀😂

“That dude drunk. A lot of MMA guys drink a lot so he must’ve been on that alcohol that day.” pic.twitter.com/t4LkDbVLqR
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 10, 2025

Most people would have expected the trash talk to die down after that exchange, but Crawford’s walkout song choice reignited everything. Topuria saw the musical selection as Crawford mocking him on one of boxing’s biggest stages, and he wasn’t about to let it slide without firing back.

The UFC champion took to social media after Crawford’s victory to express his displeasure with what he saw as disrespectful behavior. Ilia Topuria felt that Crawford had crossed a line by using his signature entrance music, especially after calling him delusional just days earlier.

“First he calls me drunk… then he walks out to MY song. 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.”

First he calls me drunk… then he walks out to MY song. 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.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) September 14, 2025

When asked about the song choice after his brilliant victory over Canelo, Crawford quickly brushed off any connection to Topuria and seemed to dismiss the comparison entirely. But for Topuria, this wasn’t just a coincidence. It was fuel for an already burning fire.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MMA Junkie (@mmajunkie)

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for drama. Terence Crawford had just achieved one of the biggest wins in recent boxing history. Instead of celebrating peacefully, he found himself in a heated exchange with a fighter from a completely different organization. The fact that both men are undefeated champions in their respective sports only adds more spice to this unexpected rivalry.

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Terence Crawford

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!