Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford given lifeline as Turki Alalshikh reveals message from Mexican superstar

HE Turki Alalshikh has left the door open for Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford.

The blockbuster showdown had been at the top of the Saudi boxing chief’s wishlist earlier this year with a big money offer said to have been sent to Canelo’s team.

However, HE Alalshikh quickly withdrew the proposal after communication lines broke down with the Mexican superstar.

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Taking to X earlier this month, he wrote: “I decided to disregard the Canelo fight, as I don’t want it anymore.

“Instead, I will be focusing for the US market with bigger fights, especially for the legend Crawford.”

Canelo responded by insisting that he ‘doesn’t like the way HE Alalshikh works’ and that he wouldn’t be discussing future fights until his next outing against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 is wrapped up.

Taking exception to Canelo’s words, HE Alalshikh released a statement, in which he accused the Mexican superstar of being afraid of fighting David Benavidez and Crawford.

However, they appear to have made up now, as Alalshikh told Charlie Parson via an X Space interview: “We were talking with Canelo for a long time, around four months to do a big fight with him.

“What bothered me was when he announced that he respects me but he doesn’t like what Riyadh Season is doing to boxing.

“After that I responded with what I responded and he sent an indirect message to me by someone and said, ‘No I am respecting you, but there was a situation between me and Eddie when we talk and I don’t like the way Eddie talking to me.’

“Then I said it is not my responsibility if something happens between you and someone else, why get me inside this?

“We want to do the big fights. My door is open to all the fighters, so let’s see, he sent to me an indirect message that he wants to connect after the fight, but I don’t know if this is a real message or not.

“It is nothing personal it is business. I’d like to see the fight against Crawford, I’d like to see the fight against Benavidez.”

With the Canelo vs Crawford clash seemingly on the rocks, ‘Bud’ has received an offer from the Saudis to fight Vergil Ortiz.

But that fight as well as a much-anticipated bout with IBF super welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis seem unlikely at this stage.

“Great fight but not the top fight we want to see,” Alalshikh said of Crawford vs Ennis.

“I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo… We give him offer for (Vergil) Ortiz, I don’t know if he’ll take it or not.

“We have an agreement to do big fight for Ortiz if Crawford doesn’t take the fight.”

Only time will tell who Crawford fights next, but he appears to have his heart set on Canelo.