Turki Alalshikh (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Take it as an attitude or the real deal, but Saudi Arabian boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh has said he is no longer interested in building a fight between Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez.
Alalshkih, the man who has served as the figurehead for the Riyadh Season movement and is largely responsible for injecting life into the world of boxing, posted an informative update on social media on Tuesday morning.
He discussed his plans to continue producing boxing events in the United States and provided information on possible next steps for some of the top names he has already worked with over the past few years.
Here’s a look at the post.
More importantly, he called out Canelo about a fight with Crawford; it’s not something he wants anymore. Crawford has shared his desire to fight Canelo, calling it a legacy fight that could provide generational wealth. Alalshikh has publicly declared his intentions to carry out the war.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 05: Canelo Alvarez attends Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga presser … [+]
On Tuesday, Canelo was asked to give the pay amount he would want to fight Crawford, and he told a reporter $150 million. It is unclear whether this was a request or serious behavior. It is also unclear whether this response prompted Alalshikh to abandon the construction of a Canelo-Crawford highway.
In any case, the fight seems dead so far.
Those of us who have been around the boxing world for a while know that death is an everyday concept, especially in fight negotiations. If both sides legitimately want to fight, it can and will eventually happen.
That said, Crawford and Canelo are still looking for options. Canelo will face Edgar Berlanga Jr. on September 14 in Las Vegas.
The Mexican legend will take on the UFC on that date, as the mixed martial arts promotion will deliver one of its biggest ever shows. Noche UFC takes place at The Sphere on the same day.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 3: Terence Crawford smiles at Israel Madrimov during the tenth … [+]
Crawford is coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Israil Madrimov on Saturday, August 3, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Crawford has said he is not interested in fighting Jaron “Boots” Ennis, despite the Matchroom star’s continued calls for the future Hall-of-Famer.
Golden Boy star Vergil Ortiz Jr. is another potential opponent for Crawford. However, it seems that he would fall into the same category as Ennis as a new fighter that does not register as a legacy fight for Bud.
Crawford told the media that a rematch with Errol Spence Jr. was no longer on the table, which somehow felt more like a final decision than Alalshikh’s claim to finish trying to get a fight with Canelo.
Lastly, it doesn’t appear that Crawford would have much interest in fighting retired 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo, despite the bad blood the two have had with each other over the years. Crawford could also look to unify the 154-pound titles by challenging
A fight with Canelo is the biggest fight Crawford can get from a monetary standpoint, and you can bet the Mexican legend is aware of that fact. This probably explains his difficult financial request. We’ll have to see who blinks first in this high-stakes game of chicken.