Terence Crawford to challenge Canelo Alvarez for undisputed super-middleweight crown
UNDEFEATED AMERICAN BOXING star Terence 'Bud' Crawford will move up a further two weight divisions to challenge fellow pound-for-pound great Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez for the Mexican's undisputed super-middleweight world title on 13 September.
Crawford (41-0, 31KOs), who was previously the undisputed ruler of the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions, will face the naturally larger Alvarez (63-2-2, 39KOs) in Las Vegas, live on Netflix.
The bout between fellow four-weight world champions, which will be one of the most significant of the 21st century, will be available globally to Netflix's 300 million-plus subscribers at no additional cost.
Titled 'The One', Canelo v Crawford will be promoted by Saudi Arabia's boxing stakeholders as well as UFC president Dana White, who recently signed a boxing partnership with the Saudis.
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While the exact Vegas venue for the bout has yet to be announced, the boxers will embark on a three-city promotional tour later this month, stopping off in Riyadh (20 June), New York (22 June), and Vegas (27 June).
Speaking upon confirmation of the bout, 168-pound top dog Alvarez said: 'I'm super-happy to be making history again and this time on a Riyadh Season Card that will be broadcast on Netflix. On 13 September, I'm ready to show once again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.'
Challenger Crawford added: 'My perfect record speaks for itself. I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top. On 13 September, my hand will be raised once again as the world watches greatness.'
Crawford, 37, and Alvarez, 34, are two of the greatest boxers of their generation.
Crawford, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, destroyed longtime welterweight rival Errol Spence in July 2023 to cement his status as a two-weight undisputed champion and America's flagship boxer. He has since boxed just once, last August, when he moved up to light-middleweight and narrowly outpointed the previously unbeaten Uzbek, Israil Madrimov, to earn a world title in a fourth different weight division.
Alvarez, who hails from Guadalajara, is on a six-fight win streak since his 2022 defeat to Dmitry Bivol up at light-heavyweight, which appeared a physical bridge too far for the boxer who began his own professional career as a light-welterweight in 2005.
Former lightweight, light-welterweight, welterweight and light-middleweight champion Crawford will make an even more dramatic leap in September, skipping the middleweight division altogether in an effort to cement himself as a true all-time great.
Turki Alalshikh, Saudi Arabia's front-facing power broker, said: 'On 13 September, Canelo and Crawford, two legends of boxing, will finally compete against each other in the fight of the century. Alongside Dana White and Sela, we will deliver something truly incredible in Las Vegas for fans around the world to enjoy through Netflix.'
UFC president White added: 'Turki wants to make the biggest fights that the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley. Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I'm going to get to promote is Canelo vs Crawford? It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime fight. Live on Saturday, 13 September, streaming globally on Netflix, two of the greatest boxers in the sport will meet in a historic fight from Las Vegas.'
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