Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are reportedly set to clash at the massive Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this September, marking a historic moment as part of a Riyadh Season event. The Ring recently broke the news that this will be the first-ever boxing card staged at the 65,000-seat venue. While details on the undercard remain under wraps, there’s already plenty of buzz about the scale and spectacle expected from this fight.
Watch Crawford vs. Madrimov highlights: Watch
The anticipation is high not only because of the venue but also due to the financial stakes involved. Canelo is rumored to be pocketing a giant payday for this bout, and word is that Crawford’s purse could well be the largest of his career. Even though Crawford’s previous fight against Israil Madrimov on August 3rd sold just under 18,000 tickets at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Turki Al-Sheikh’s willingness to invest means that the size of the crowd might not be a concern at all.
At 37, Crawford is stepping into uncharted territory by moving up 14 pounds for this fight, coming off a year-long layoff. His debut at junior middleweight against Madrimov was below his usual standard, raising questions about how he will fare against a formidable opponent like Canelo. With the added challenge of fighting at a weight class he’s never previously contested, Crawford’s chances for victory appear slim. However, if he manages to be competitive, even in a loss, fans might still applaud his effort much like they did when Edgar Berlanga earned a $10 million payday despite coming up short.
What do you think - can Crawford overcome the weight jump and extended layoff to put up a competitive fight against Canelo in this historic Las Vegas showdown?
Image Credit: DAZN