Latest news with #superfight
The Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Radical plan for Canelo vs Crawford undercard teased by Turki Alalshikh
The undercard for Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez 's super-fight with Terence Crawford could take place across 'two or three days', according to boxing chief Turki Alalshikh. Canelo is due to defend the undisputed super-middleweight titles against Crawford on 13 September, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The bout will see Crawford, 37, reach a career-highest weight of 167lb, as the American bids to become a three-division undisputed champion. Standing in his way is 34-year-old Mexican Canelo, who recently regained undisputed status at super-middleweight. And a special, if somewhat contrived, match-up is set to have a special undercard as well. While no undercard bouts have been announced, Saudi adviser Alalshikh is known for facilitating strong match-ups, and he has shared a unique idea for how September's undercard could play out. 'The undercard, it will be between two or three days,' Alalshikh told The Ring, a magazine that he owns. 'Imagine, for two or three days. 'We have now reached more than 20 fights to do on the undercard, and 90... 95 per cent per cent of this card is talent and people around the world [who] have a very big chance to be a star in the future. '[Thursday, Friday,] then Saturday. It must be something like this [a fight festival].' Canelo vs Crawford was originally due to take place on Friday 12 September, but it was then moved back by one day. It will now clash with a UFC Fight Night, despite the fact that UFC president Dana White is a co-promoter of Canelo vs Crawford.
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Surprised ONE Muay Thai belt holder Nabil Anane keen for Jonathan Haggerty superfight
Newly crowned ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nabil Anane said he was ready for a superfight with Jonathan Haggerty – and his coach wanted it to happen as soon as September. The 21-year-old was handed the belt inside the ring at ONE Friday Fights 114 late last month, after Superlek Kiatmoo9 failed to make weight for their rematch back in March. It marked an unusual coronation for one of the sport's fastest-rising stars, but Anane took it in his stride. 'I didn't know it was going to happen,' he told the Post. 'It was a surprise – they told me on stage. But now I'm just happy. This is only the beginning.' Many had expected a trilogy bout with Superlek, but Anane said he was open to other possibilities. Chief among them was a potential showdown with Haggerty, who holds the ONE bantamweight kickboxing title. 'Maybe Haggerty against me for the Muay Thai title,' Anane said. 'He said he's the one who's gonna stop me. I'm not saying much. But if he wants to, let's go.' Nabil Anane's coach, Mehdi Zatout (right), wants to take on Haggerty in two months. Photo: ONE Championship Anane's coach, Mehdi Zatout, confirmed to the Post that the team would welcome the match-up in September.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Canelo vs Crawford: Global Mega Fight Ignites in Riyadh with Explosive Press Conference
Canelo vs Crawford: Global Mega Fight Ignites in Riyadh with Explosive Press Conference originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The boxing world witnessed a seismic moment in Riyadh as global superstars Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford launched the official press tour for their historic showdown scheduled for September 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Held at the opulent Baker Al-Sheddi Theatre in Boulevard City, the launch event marked the first in a three-stop international media tour leading up to what many already consider the defining super fight of the decade. The two champions stood face-to-face for the first time, backed by booming visuals, elite production, and an energized crowd. Stage Presence: A Study in Contrast As the main event opened under glowing lights, I had the rare opportunity to interview both fighters live on stage. Canelo stood calm, measured, every inch the seasoned champion, speaking slowly and deliberately. He made it clear this bout isn't about the money—it's about legacy. Advertisement (c) Leos Development Crawford, on the other hand, projected a fierce intensity. Without raising his voice, he made his point: 'This fight is everything they said couldn't happen. Now I'm going to show why it's happening.' His body language was unmistakable—tense, locked in, and unshaken. Behind the Curtain: VIP Dressing Room Access In a rare moment before the public stage show, I was given full access to both fighters' VIP dressing rooms—where no cameras were allowed and only a select few witnessed the pre-fight psyche up close. Canelo's camp was meticulously calm. His trainer Eddy Reynoso was reviewing tactics on a tablet, while a small entourage prepared his formal wardrobe with trademark precision. On Crawford's side, energy pulsed through the room. His team worked fast but light-heartedly, with Terrence shadowboxing quietly in the corner, focused, headphones in. Advertisement I asked both men one private question: 'Are you ready?' Canelo nodded once and said, 'Always.' Crawford simply replied, 'You'll see.' Las Vegas Fight Night: What to Expect The bout, scheduled for September 13 at the 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium, will be broadcast live on Netflix, marking the platform's first global streaming of a championship boxing event. No pay-per-view, no restrictions—just a global audience tuned in for history. The event is being promoted by Dana White's TKO Group, in partnership with Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and entertainment firm SELA. The GEA has committed to a blockbuster experience, with additional concerts, fan experiences, and a multi-day Las Vegas festival running in tandem with the fight week. $188,000 Championship Belt & Six-Figure KO Bonus As part of the new era of boxing showmanship, the winner of Canelo vs Crawford will receive a $188,000 bespoke belt, designed with 24-karat gold and rare stones—commissioned by Saudi organizers as a symbol of elite competition. Advertisement In a bold move to guarantee excitement, the GEA is also offering a six-figure cash bonus for a knockout victory. This is part of a wider push to eliminate "boring fights" and reward all-action performances—an incentive that both fighters acknowledged during our conversations. Press Tour Continues After Riyadh, the press tour moves to New York City (June 22) and then to Las Vegas (June 27). Both events are expected to draw massive crowds, fan activations, and additional promotional announcements. I'll be continuing exclusive coverage on-site. High Stakes, No Titles Spared Though Crawford will move up in weight to face Canelo, all four of Canelo's super middleweight world titles (WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO) will be on the line. This creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity: for Crawford to become the first male boxer in history to become undisputed in three weight classes. Advertisement This fight is more than a contest between two of the best pound-for-pound fighters of the modern era. It's a cultural moment—melding boxing, entertainment, and global diplomacy. With Saudi Arabia providing the stage for the story to begin, and Las Vegas booked for the grand finale, Canelo vs Crawford is shaping up to be the most important fight of the 2020s. As Canelo told me before stepping offstage: 'We're making history. That's the only reason I'm here.' (c) Leos Development This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canelo Vs. Crawford Set For ‘Hated' Allegiant Stadium
The Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs. Terence 'Bud' Crawford superfight will take place in an appropriately grand location: Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium. There had been a big question mark hovering over the location of the fight for weeks as Turki Alalshikh's team of promoters worked to sort out a scheduling issue with the venue. It's clear they wanted the 65,000 seat venue for their fight, but things were complicated since the bout was moved from Friday, September 12th to Saturday, September 13th. Advertisement Friday was available. Saturday? The UNLV Rebels were set to play the Idaho State Bengals at Allegiant that day. It's unclear what palms needed to be greased to clear the way for Canelo vs. Crawford, but now Ring Magazine — owned and fed a steady stream of news from Alalshikh — has announced that Allegiant will host the fight, with Ring's Manouk Akopyan calling it 'the last remaining piece of the puzzle.' That's mostly accurate. The fighters are signed. The date is set. The broadcaster is locked: Netflix will broadcast the fight for free at no extra cost to its subscribers. Now the venue is taken care of. The only questions left: what time will the fight take place? Boxing promoter and petty squabbler Oscar De La Hoya recently claimed the fight would take place early, and we've seen Turki's Riyadh Season main events take place around 3 p.m. ET in the past. Or will things be just a smidge early — 10 p.m. ET instead of 12 or 1 a.m. ET to maximize Netflix viewers? Advertisement Then there's the question of how involved UFC CEO Dana White and parent company TKO will be in the whole endeavor. White was initially announced as the main promoter by Alalshikh and the event was set to kick off Zuffa Boxing, the new boxing league partnership between TKO and Turki. All hints of that have been scrubbed from the UFC's webpage, and Alalshikh no longer namedrops White or TKO. White recently said he 'hated' the idea of holding Canelo vs. Crawford at Allegiant Stadium. 'I hate it. I hate it!' White told ESPN Desportes. 'So because I hate it so much, you know I'm gonna have to try and figure out how to make it an incredible experience inside Allegiant.' Maybe this will get Dana off his stadium-hatred? That would be useful considering the lack of arena-sized venues in key markets like Spain. Or maybe he's just falling in line with Turki's vision, lest TKO get further marginalized for this fight. Advertisement More from
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Jake Paul calls on UFC to make stunning ‘winner-takes-all' MMA fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou
JAKE PAUL has challenged the UFC to accept a "winner-takes-all" fight between Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Jones is currently the UFC heavyweight champion but appears uninterested in facing No1 contender Tom Aspinall. 3 Ngannou walked out on the UFC in 2022 to sign with rivals the Professional Fighters League and pursue boxing. But Jones, 36, posted: "I'm hearing Francis Ngannou is still interested… now we're talking. That's a real super fight. "A clash of champions, not just hype. He held the UFC belt, I've defended mine for over a decade. Two kings from different roads. "Not just one legend facing a mouth that's hot right now, but two real legacies colliding. "That's the kind of fight that actually adds something special to my story. At least from my point of view." Ngannou, 38, responded: "You take care of the UFC, I'll take care of the PFL, and we'll finally find out who's the KING OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT." PFL founder Donn Davis said: "PROPOSAL … WINNER TAKE ALL MMA best heavyweight of all time. @francis_ngannou vs @JonnyBones "Francis Wins … @PFLMMA and Francis split 100% of the event profits Jon Wins … @UFC and Jon split 100% of the event profits." YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul - signed to the PFL - chimed in: "The perfect final dance for the two greatest MMA heavyweights of all time. "Jon Jones wants it. Francis Ngannou wants it. Big fight for the sport. Big fight for the fans and Big business. Who doesn't want it?" Jake Paul reveals 'hefty' six-man hit-list of opponents for next fight including Anthony Joshua and world champ Ngannou left the UFC as champion to box Tyson Fury, 36, in 2023 even scoring a knockdown before losing a controversial split-decision. He was then knocked out by Anthony Joshua, 35, in 2024 and returned to MMA the same year to beat PFL's Renan Ferreira, 35. Jones meanwhile is yet to fight since beating UFC legend Stipe Miocic, 42, last November. But UFC boss Dana White talked down the chance of working with Ngannou again despite the allure of a super-fight with Jones. White said: 'It's Aspinall's fight. I mean, we've been talking to this kid about it forever and it's his fight. 'Listen, you can't make people fight, if Jon doesn't want to fight, you can't make him fight. "We can try to make him fight, we can throw things at him that inspire him to want to fight, but we'll figure it out. "I don't have Ngannou under contract and Aspinall is the guy!' 3
