The stage is set for the blockbuster megafight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.
Crawford will challenge Alvarez, the freshly minted undisputed super middleweight champion, on Sept. 12 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The details of the fight were confirmed following Alvarez’s unanimous decision win to reclaim the IBF title from William Scull in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Following the win, Crawford stepped into the ring for a staredown with Alvarez, cementing their highly anticipated fight.
Crawford, 37, will move up two weight classes to challenge Alvarez. He last fought in August, when he outpointed Israil Madrimov to win a title at 154 pounds. Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is a four-division world champion and one of only three male fighters to become undisputed in two weight classes in the “four-belt era.” ESPN’s No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter, he won his first title at 135 pounds and became undisputed at 140 and 147 pounds.
If Crawford defeats Alvarez, he will be the first and only fighter to become undisputed in three weight classes.
Alvarez, 34, is a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. After failing in his attempt to win the WBA light heavyweight championship against Dmitry Bivol in 2022, Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) moved back down to 168 pounds and has won six straight. He is ranked No. 6 on ESPN’s pound-for-pound list.
The Alvarez-Crawford card will be the first event promoted by Turki Alalshikh and Dana White’s TKO Boxing, Alalshikh announced on his X account later Saturday. Alalshikh said that a TV platform for the event would be announced at a later date.
The card will take place on a Friday, avoiding competition from college football as well as the UFC’s Noche UFC event the following day. It will also be the first boxing match held in Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, which opened in July 2020.
Source: espn.com