Fans argued that Crawford appeared dismissive of sanctioning belts when they applied to his own career decisions, while invoking their importance when advocating for another fighter. Martinez last fought in September, earning a 12 round draw against WBC interim champion Christian Mbilli on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Crawford event. The difference in styles became a focal point of reaction, and the draw left the interim title situation unchanged. Crawford’s post reopened that discussion, with critics arguing that Martinez had already been given an opportunity to strengthen his case and that the draw did little to shift opinions. Others focused less on Martinez’s performance and more on what they viewed as inconsistency in Crawford’s public comments about the value of championship belts.