The eagerly awaited megafight between undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez and two-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford is confirmed for Las Vegas on September 13. The event will be streamed live worldwide exclusively on Netflix.
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia`s General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, shared the news about the broadcasting partner and host city on Tuesday. However, the specific location within Las Vegas is yet to be officially announced. The promotion of the fight will be a joint effort between Alalshikh`s Riyadh Season, UFC President and CEO Dana White, and Sela, a private Saudi Arabian entertainment company.
“On September 13, Canelo and Crawford, two true legends of boxing, will finally meet in what is set to be the fight of the century,” Alalshikh stated. “Collaborating with Dana White and Sela, our aim is to deliver an unforgettable event in Las Vegas for boxing fans across the globe to experience through Netflix.”
There had been some speculation regarding Dana White`s involvement, particularly after the fight date was adjusted from the initial September 12 to September 13. The original date conflicted with White`s plans to host his annual Noche UFC event. Confusion was cleared when it was announced that the Noche UFC event would be moved and changed from a pay-per-view to a free Fight Night due to construction delays at its planned venue in Mexico, resolving the scheduling conflict and enabling White`s participation in the boxing promotion, which he later confirmed.
“Turki is dedicated to putting on the biggest fights that fans truly want to see in boxing, and that aligns perfectly with what I do,” White commented. “It`s incredible that my first boxing promotion will be Canelo vs. Crawford. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime fight.”
Allegiant Stadium was previously reported as the potential venue. However, with the date change, the location is now uncertain, as UNLV has a football game scheduled there on September 13. Major combat sports venues like T-Mobile Arena do not currently have a booking for that specific date.
Alalshikh also revealed plans for a three-city international media tour to promote the matchup. The tour is scheduled to start in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 20, move to New York for an event at Fanatics Fest on June 22, and conclude in Las Vegas on June 27.
Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision win over William Scull in May, which saw him become a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. He has recorded six consecutive victories since his light heavyweight title challenge loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
“I am incredibly happy to be making history once more, and this time as part of a Riyadh Season card that will be available on Netflix,” said Canelo, ranked No. 7 pound-for-pound by ESPN. “On September 13, I am ready to demonstrate again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.”
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) last fought in August of the previous year, defeating Israil Madrimov to capture the WBA junior middleweight championship. ESPN`s No. 3-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, he previously achieved undisputed status in both the welterweight and junior welterweight divisions.
“My undefeated record speaks for itself,” Crawford stated. “I believe I am the premier fighter in the world, and regardless of the opponent or weight category, I have consistently come out on top. On September 13, with the world watching greatness, my hand will be raised yet again.”