What is the background of the Canelo vs Crawford fight and how did it come about?

What is the background of the Canelo vs Crawford fight and how did it come about?

The clash between Saul “Canelo” Álvarez and Terence “Bud” Crawford has its roots in years of speculation and fan demand. After Crawford’s dominant win over Errol Spence Jr. in July 2023 to become the undisputed welterweight champion, talk of a possible showdown with the bigger Canelo (the undisputed super middleweight champion) began to circulate. Crawford himself stoked the conversation – for instance, digging up an old 2020 interview where Canelo said he’d fight Spence at 160 lbs, implying Canelo should be willing to meet him partway at a lower weight. At first, many doubted the fight could ever be made. Canelo was campaigning at 168–175 lbs, and Crawford had never fought above 154 lbs. Some observers felt Canelo had little incentive to face a smaller man (especially after getting little credit for beating 154-lb Jermell Charlo in 2023) () .

However, the landscape shifted as both fighters sought new challenges and a legacy-defining payday. By late 2024, rumors emerged that powerful promoters and investors – notably Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (led by Turki Alalshikh) – were interested in bankrolling a cross-division “super fight.” Saudi involvement was crucial: they offered enormous purses (reportedly around $100 million for Crawford alone) (), making the bout financially irresistible. Behind the scenes, Alalshikh and team negotiated with Canelo (who was represented by Eddie Hearn and also had ties to PBC) and Crawford (a free agent after his Spence bout) to bring both sides to agreement. By early 2025 the framework was in place: Canelo would defend his super middleweight titles against Crawford in a blockbuster event funded as part of Saudi’s Riyadh Season entertainment initiative.

A key turning point in making the fight a reality was Canelo’s routine title defense against contender William Scull in May 2025. That fight, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, served as a stage-setter – after Canelo won a dull decision, Crawford joined him in the ring for a face-off , signaling that their showdown was on. Within days, it was announced that Canelo vs Crawford was officially scheduled for mid-September 2025 in Las Vegas (). In short, this fight came about through a mix of fan clamoring, Crawford’s public call-outs, and the willingness of new promoters (backed by major money) to bridge the weight-class gap and give both fighters an offer they couldn’t refuse.

(Sources: early reports of Crawford calling out Canelo; analysis of Saudi involvement.)