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[VIDEO] ‘I FEEL LIKE I’M THE BEST IN THIS DIVISION’: VERGIL ORTIZ READY FOR TERENCE CRAWFORD

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Terence Crawford Vergil Ortiz Jr

Vergil Ortiz Jr says his victory over Serhii Bohachuk has given him the belief that he is the best fighter in the super-welterweight division and that he welcomes the opportunity to fight Terence Crawford.

Ortiz (22-0-0 21 KO) defeated Bohachuk (24-2-0 23 KO) earlier this month in Las Vegas via a contentious split decision following a thrilling Fight of the Year contender. The win, which Ortiz secured despite two knockdowns, saw the Texan claim the Ukrainian’s WBC interim belt to put him in contention for his first world title shot.

It was also the first time Ortiz had been taken the distance, and by winning the championship rounds that proved vital to the result, the 26-year-old said he gained a huge amount of experience about his skill and endurance.

READ; Floyd Mayweather “Living a GTA Life” as the Boxing Legend Pulls up in Mexico with a ‘Bulletproof Tank’

“It really boosts my confidence because I know I can be in that type of fight,” Ortiz said in an interview with BoxingScene. “I’m not always going to be in that kind of fight … but this shows I’m always going to have it the energy to do what I need to do, and it can be there in the 12th round.

“I already knew I could go 12 rounds. Everyone else had those doubts in their mind: ‘What happens when he goes 12 rounds? Is he going to look great?’ I saw people saying I’d get stopped, that he was going to be too much for me, that I was going to gas out. It was almost fun in there for me because I went those 12 rounds very easily and I still had a lot of energy. I could’ve gone 12 more.”

Ortiz could now be set for the biggest fight of his career against pound-for-pound star and recently-crowned WBA champion Crawford. Saudi Arabian boxing boss Turki Alalshikh agreed on the live broadcast ahead of Ortiz’s fight with Bohachuk that he would make the Crawford fight if he won. Earlier this week, Alalshikh revealed an offer has gone out to Crawford, but believes the Nebraskan “only wants Canelo” Alvarez.

“I’m more than confident I can beat everyone in the division. I feel like I’m the best in this division,” Ortiz said. “I just need the fights to show that. I’m willing to fight anyone.

“I’ve never turned a fight down. The WBO president said I did. I never turned any fight down. If they want to bring the fight with Crawford now, I would love that fight. He’s arguably the world’s (best) pound-for-pound (fighter). That’s a great fight to make.”

 

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of the bout appears to be Crawford’s apparent interest in only fighting Canelo next. The wider fascination in the mega-fight has cooled since Crawford’s victory over Israil Madrimov on August 3, which might have made him a four-weight world champion but also demonstrated that his power has not fully carried to the 154lbs division.

Climbing higher to super-middleweight to challenge unified champion Canelo – known for his power and granite chin – therefore seems a step too far in the eyes of most observers.

“(Crawford) genuinely has that big super-fight in mind and I can’t say I’m bigger than Canelo Alvarez with a straight face, for sure,” Ortiz said. “I see why Crawford wants that fight. But a fight with me is more realistic.

“I really don’t know what to think. It’s a massive jump. He wants to test himself just like I do, but … Crawford just moved up from 147. And he wants to fight Canelo at 168 … I’m not saying Crawford doesn’t have the skills to do it, but as far as me wanting to challenge Crawford, (him) wanting to challenge Canelo is a bit more unrealistic.”

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‘THE NERVES ON CANELO’ – FANS RIPS CANELO VS. BERLANGA PPV PRICE

By
Canelo Alvarez Edgar Berlanga

Fans have slammed the PPV price for Canelo Alvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga, which has been priced at $89.99

The fight takes place on September 14 during Mexican Independence Weekend. Canelo is the massive favorite as he defends his WBA, WBC and WBO belts against the 22-0 Berlanga. Alvarez enters the fight with wins over Jermell Charlo and Jamie Munguia. The fights received a mixed reaction, with fans unhappy that Canelo did not box David Benavidez. And yet, the PPV prices were still fairly high.

The Charlo fight was priced at $84.99. The Munguia fight went further at $89.99. This was more than Errol Spence Jr. vs Terence Crawford’s fight at $84.99 and the Gervonta Davis vs Ryan Garcia fight, which was also at $84.99. Those fights were bigger from a title perspective but also on a global scale. Canelo has been accused of taking easier fights for bigger paydays by avoiding the best.

Canelo-Alvarez Edgar-Berlanga

JUST IN: Vergil Ortiz Jr. Advised to “Stay Far Away” From Terence Crawford

“I know how he feels after losing to Bivol, so he’s been looking for easier fights ever since. Also, I’m not the one who’s afraid of fighting Benavidez or Crawford. Therefore, I knew he was wasting our time and making excuses with big amounts of money that can’t be paid. So I’m continuing my way to make big fights that serve the boxing world, and he’s on his way to making easy show-only fights,” Turki stated

The undercard for the event is also not helping the cause. Caleb Plant faces Trevor McCumby. Plant lost to David Benavidez last year and may not be the same fighter. His opponent is now well known despite his 28-0 record. Plant is his biggest test, meaning fans may not get a competitive fight. Rolando Romero also faces Trevor McCumby. Romero was stopped by Isaac Cruz in his last fight, showing that he had declined since his Gervonta Davis loss. Danny Garcia will also box Eridlandy Lara.

That is seen as a credible match up. However, Garcia has not boxed since 2022 when he beat Jose Benavidez Jr. As for Lara, he stopped Michael Zerafa in March, making him the favorite. Oscar De La Hoyahas previously said that fans will boycott Canelo fights because fans are not getting the best bouts. His Berlanga fight competes with the UFC 304 event at The Sphere, whereSean O’Malley headlines against Merab Dvalishvili. Since that is The Sphere’s first combat sports event, Canelo faces a tough task.

“The September 14th fight has been made – Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga. A fight that nobody asked for. Fans are now starting to boycott Canelo for continuing to duck you know who. Also, they’re going up against the UFC at The Sphere? Good luck with making a splash with that one,” De La Hoya stated 

Despite the criticism, Canelo’s last fight sold over 500,000 PPV buys. If Canelo can get something similar, he will take it. He will fancy his chances since the fight is against a Puerto Rican on Mexican Independence Weekend.

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Vergil Ortiz Jr. Advised to “Stay Far Away” From Terence Crawford

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Vergil Ortiz Jr. Terence Crawford

Vergil Ortiz Jr. Advised to “Stay Far Away” From Terence Crawford as Fans Throw in Next Opponent Suggestions Including Boots, Charlo

Early this year, Vergil Ortiz Jr. returned to the ring after a break of 17 months. He wasn’t going to settle for anything short of a triumphant comeback. The Grand Prairie-born boxer did just that by the third bout of the year. Serhii Bohachuk forced him to walk the whole distance. Nonetheless, Ortiz Jr. secured a victory that elevated him to world championship status. Now he could call out the opponents to make some great fights, both for fans and himself.

Despite a swollen face, he confirmed an interest in pursuing Terence Crawford. Just a week before his victory in Los Angeles, Crawford had won his fourth title against Israil Madrimov. He has been talking about a fight with Canelo Alvarez. Many even felt the move up a division might have been a step in that direction. Unfortunately, on the fight, a divergence of opinions surfaced between His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Canelo Alvarez. Thus the light welterweight division tentatively opened to new equations. Talks have been rife about a potential match between Ortiz Jr. and Crawford. Now WBC’s new interim light welterweight shared a message where he revealed the fights he would love to purse. It didn’t take much time before fans too joined, sharing their thoughts.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. Terence Crawford

READ: Canelo Alvarez vs David Benavidez: Benavidez will ‘run Canelo over like a train’

While expressing his respect and admiration, Vergil Ortiz J. revealed that he wants to establish a legacy that will narrate a story—him taking on some of the best. Hence, the “Top 3 fighters who I would love the chance to run it against” included Terence Crawford, Errol Spence Jr., and Sebastian Fundora.

In the lead-up to the Bohachuk clash, Oscar De La Hoya joined HE Alalshikh at the venue. The head of Riyadh Season said, “Ortiz, if he do the job today, we want to see him against Crawford.” De la Hoya soon added Tim Tszyu‘s name as one another alternate.

Earlier, while talking to a bunch of reporters, Vergil Ortiz Jr. himself stated how it had been one of his dreams to purse a fight against one of the big names, such as Errol Spence Jr., at the Cowboy Stadium. “I think the fight that makes that happen is the Spence fight. If he gets through Fundora and he’s healthy… we can run it at Cowboy Stadium,” he had opined.

Nevertheless, not all fans agreed with his list. A few added some names they felt would be better options for a matchup against Ortiz Jr. Let’s check what some of them had to say.

This fan had a word of caution for Ortiz Jr. Considering some of the fans and critics held that on the August 10 fight, it was Serhii Bohachuk who deserved the win, this fan suggested that Ortiz Jr. might not be ready to face a boxer of Terence Crawford’s caliber. “After losing to @SBohachuk, I advise you to stay far away from @terencecrawford Vergil,” said this fan.

Taking a step ahead, the next fan rather had all the outcomes of the suggested matchups laid out. So Ortiz Jr. would lose a tightly contested battle against ‘Bud’ Crawford. He might score a victory over Spence Jr., but over Fundora, he has an assured victory. “My prediction: 1. You lose a dog fight to Bud. 2. You beat Spence by decision 3. You annihilate Fundora.“

The next fan expressed excitement over the names Ortiz Jr. suggested. Nevertheless, they seem to wonder why he doesn’t show any interest in pursuing a fight with Tim Tszyu. An earlier planned fight between them eventually caved in. The fan said, “Love to see it! But also no appetite for Tszyu considering the fight was cancelled? That would be great.”

Likewise, the next fan wanted to know why Jermell Charlo‘s name wasn’t mentioned. According to the fan, the ‘Iron Man’ still lords over the 154-pound weight class. “Why no, @TwinCharlo, he still 👑 of 154 didn’t lose his belts in the ring??” Said the fan.

One fan wondered why Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis‘ name wasn’t mentioned: “Where’s Boots Ennis?” Then, according to another, Israil Madrimov also makes for a competent alternative: “If none of these guys are available, Madrimov would be a good substitute, champ 🫡🔥.”

Considering the fact that Spence Jr. is the number one ranked contender in the WBC rankings, a fight with Ortiz Jr. makes the most logical sense.

Undoubtedly, a fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Terry Crawford makes for a memorable blockbuster. However, on understandable grounds, the Nebraskan might be looking for that huge payday that he deserves as he progresses into the twilight years of his glorious career. Hence, in that scenario, a fight for Sebastian Fundora’s world title could be the next option. An attempt at title unification might put him on the crossroads against the heavy-hitting Russian Bakhram Murtazaliev. Nevertheless, if Ortiz Jr. dreams of the undisputed glory, then he will have to go through the Crawford wall.

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Canelo Alvarez vs David Benavidez: Benavidez will ‘run Canelo over like a train’

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Canelo Alvarez David Benavidez

Canelo Alvarez vs David Benavidez is undoubtedly one of the most hotly anticipated fights in boxing right now.

Fans are clambering to see the pair square off for super-middleweight supremacy yet Canelo has shown little urgency in getting the fight over the line.

The Mexican superstar previously suggested he would require an extortionate purse of $200million (£158m) for him to duke it out with ‘The Monster’.

David Benavidez Canelo Alvarez

READ: ‘CANELO IS LOOKING FOR EASY PICKINGS’ – CANELO TOLD TO VACATE ALL HIS BELTS

Benavidez’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz insisted they did everything to make the fight happen in May, while his client was Canelo’s WBC mandatory at 168lbs.

But Canelo chose to face Jaime Munguia on Cinco de Mayo weekend instead.

After growing tired of waiting, Benavidez moved up to light-heavyweight and defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June for the WBC ‘interim’ trinket.

The victory made him mandatory for the winner of Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s four-belt shootout on October 12.

A clash with Canelo now looks to be out of reach but many members of the boxing fraternity hold out hope.

Former IBF super-lightweight champion Paulie Malignaggi is not one of them though.

“I don’t care who Canelo fights if he would vacate the titles,” Malignaggi told talkSPORT’s talkBOXING podcast.

“Personally, I’ve been saying this for two years, I think David Benavidez runs him over like a train running over a car that’s stuck in the train tracks.

“I stick with that. His apprehension to fight the mandatory continuously only cements my opinion.

“I don’t think he’s gonna fight Benavidez, the only reason I wanna see him fight Benavidez is for the belts because I don’t even think it would be a good fight. I’m more excited about other things than I am about Canelo.”

For now, Canelo is set to take on Edgar Berlanga on September 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Providing he comes through that unscathed a super fight with Terence Crawford remains a possibility.

However, Malignaggi is even less interested in that prospect.

“I’m not crazy about it [the Terence Crawford fight],” he added. “I think Canelo is looking for easy pickings. Easy pickings later in his career.

“The fact he’s been allowed to avoid his mandatory for three years is absolutely appalling. The sanctioning bodies should be ashamed of themselves, absolutely disgraceful.

“But I think he would possibly consider Crawford, but he wants a crazy amount of money. Because he sees the kind of money Turki Alalshikh pays, and I think he’s trying to take advantage of it which has rightfully offended Turki Alalshikh.

“I’m not crazy about the fight, I think weight classes exist for a reason. Crawford has been amazing, his talent has been something that has overcome the weight class deficit, but at a certain point, you’re gonna start to see that.

“The Crawford vs Israil Madrimov fight was right there. I don’t understand why there’s this talk about Crawford and Canelo. I think if anything that fight right there should tell you he’s not able to go up that many more weight classes.

“He really had to test himself in that fight. That fight came down to the last couple of rounds if you ask me.

“Madrimov is good, you have a 154lbs division that is very, very good. I can also see why Crawford would just want to take on Canelo because Canelo is like him, he’s made a lot of money already and it’s sort of like a Hollywood type of fight where big names and brands in boxing just fight each other.

“If you fight these young, hungry guys, you’re gonna end up being really tested against guys who the world is not gonna give you credit for beating, like Madrimov. That weight class is difficult.”

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‘CANELO IS LOOKING FOR EASY PICKINGS’ – CANELO TOLD TO VACATE ALL HIS BELTS

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Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford David Benavidez

Paulie Malignaggi has called on Canelo Alvarezto vacate his super middleweight titles. 

Malignaggi made the comments after Canelo chose not to box his then-WBC mandatory David Benavidez. Canelo was undisputed then but chose to vacate his IBF belt after being ordered to face William Scull. He now has the WBA, WBC and WBO belts, which he will defend against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 during Mexican Independence Weekend.

The fight has received mass criticism since a Benavidez fight would have gone down well on the date to decide the best Mexican of this era. Benavidez will now box at 175, ending hopes of that fight.
There are other alternatives Canelo could have taken instead to reduce the criticism towards him. There are fights with Christian Mbilli and David Morrell Jr.

Canelo Alvarez is likely to face Terence Crawford or David Benavidez in his next bout according to reports

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Mbilli is 28-0, with 23 KOs and has come off a win against Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Before this fight, he called out Canelo and expressed his desire to face the best after beating Derevyanchenko. Morrell Jr. is also another option. The Cuban is a knockout artist with an 11-0 record and nine KOs. The failure to face big names is seen as holding up the division, leaving Malignaggi unhappy.

“I don’t care who Canelo fights if he would vacate his [168-lb] titles. I’ve been saying this for two years. I think Benavidez runs him over like a train, like a car stuck on the train tracks. His [Canelo] apprehension to fight his mandatory continuously only further cements my opinion of that. I don’t think he’s going to fight Benavidez. The only reason I want him to fight Benavidez is for the belts because I don’t even think it would be a good fight,” Malignaggi said 

Malignaggi was also critical of a potential Terence Crawford fight. Crawford has been chasing Canelo for some time, even calling him out after his win over Israil Madrimov. The win made Bud the WBA champion at 154 in his first fight at the weight class. However, Crawford’s punch power at the weight class was not what it was at 147 when he stopped all his opponents.

Madrimov also tagged Crawford numerous times, landing more power punches. There is a feeling that Crawford would bite off more than he can chew if he moved up to 168. Jermell Charlo did the same, coming up from 154 to face Alvarez last year. He was not the same fighter as Canelo, who won a comfortable unanimous decision. Malignaggi felt Canelo was simply looking for bigger paydays.

“I’m not crazy about it. Canelo is looking for easy pickings for later in his career..I think he would possibly consider Crawford, but he wants a crazy amount of money. He [Canelo] sees the kind of money Turki Alalshikh pays, and he’s trying to take advantage of it, which rightfully offended Turki Alalshikh. I’m not crazy about it. Weight classes exist for a reason. Crawford has been amazing. His talent has been something that has overcome the weight class deficit, but at a certain, you start to see that,” Malignaggi stated

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“Crawford is the best-known fighter at 154″: Why does Terence Crawford have Canelo Alvarez tunnel vision?

By
Canelo Alvarez Terence Crawford

He’s less than a month away from a grueling victory, so maybe Terence Crawford should be afforded a deeper reflection before his immediate reaction becomes written in stone.

Yet, judging by the fighter’s response relayed by Saudi Arabia’s fight maker Turki Alalshikh, Crawford is only interested in a Saul “Canelo” Alvarez bout as his 37th birthday arrives next month, and the possible pursuit of becoming an undisputed 154-pound champion is not happening.

Nebraska’s four-division champion Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) escaped with a narrow unanimous-decision victory over Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov Aug. 3 in Los Angeles by virtue of winning the final two rounds, as his trainer, Brian McIntyre, breathed a sigh of relief to start the post-fight news conference.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

JUST IN: The Canelo-Crawford Superfight Is Dead: Eddie Hearn Explains Why Alvarez Lost Interest

And now that four-division champion Alvarez (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has discouraged interest in fighting Crawford, Alalshikh proposed a bout against new WBC interim junior-middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr., who just edged Serhii Bohachuk by majority decision Aug. 10.

Crawford, according to Alalshikh, responded that he only has interest in Alvarez.

“Crawford’s only looking for a big-money fight based on popularity, legacy,” former welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi said on Friday’s edition of ProBox TV’s “Top Stories.”

“He realized these top 154-pound guys are no joke. He had to dig deep to pull out the win over Madrimov, and the 154-pound division is full of guys like Madrimov. He’s thinking, ‘At this stage, I didn’t build my reputation to fight these young, hungry destroyers who are salivating in hunger.’

“… I understand why he wouldn’t want to fight these other guys.”

Crawford could still achieve a significant legacy play by fighting Canelo. Not only have the pair competed as pound-for-pound kings during the past decade, Alvarez wears three super-middleweight belts as he heads to a Sept. 14 bout as a prohibitive favorite against unbeaten WBA mandatory Edgar Berlanga.

If he could win – and Crawford would be a pronounced underdog – the Nebraskan could stand as a five-division champion.

Meanwhile, the 154-pound crop includes a slew of opponents that could pose problems, including Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs), former champion Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) and Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs).

Crawford continues to have the option to invoke a mandatory shot at current WBO/WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs) by the end of the year.

A boxing official familiar with that situation frowned upon that fight ever happening, given the disdain that exists between Fundora side, Premier Boxing Champions, and the occasionally prickly Crawford.

All of the top 154-pound fighters are at least seven years younger than Crawford.

“You can’t blame (Crawford), although I’m not sure that (Alvarez) fight will happen, or if Turki Alalshikh is interested in it,” Malignaggi said. “It doesn’t interest me. I like competitive fights. It allows Crawford to pad his bank account. It doesn’t do anything for me.

“I enjoy hungry fighters fighting to be the best.”

Fellow “Top Stories” analyst and former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri said Crawford has the right to be “all about the money” at this point in his career.

“He’s already the most accomplished fighter of the four-belt era,” Algieri said. “He’s been undisputed (at 140 pounds and welterweight) and was a 100 per cent knockout guy, but he goes to 154 and realizes that to try and collect these belts is not easy.”

So why not restrict the focus purely to the cash cow of the sport?

“Crawford is the best-known fighter at 154, anyway,” Malignaggi said. “Canelo might not be as hungry, either.”

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The Canelo-Crawford Superfight Is Dead: Eddie Hearn Explains Why Alvarez Lost Interest

By
Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Sadly for boxing fans, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh couldn’t be the genie they were looking for.

In an interview, the head of Matchroom Boxing and a close partner to the Saudi Royal, Eddie Hearn, put the final nail on a potential fight between Canelo Alvarez and former undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

You see, the entire thing began during the Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov bout earlier this month. His Excellency went live on air to reveal he had reached out to Canelo’s team with an offer. However, in a later post, he claimed he was no longer interested in hosting such a bout. This received a response from Canelo, who claimed he really didn’t care about that fight to begin with, starting a back-and-forth with Alalshikh on social media. Still, people were hoping for a reconciliation. But after Hearn’s statement, it seems even a reconciliation won’t be of any help.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez Turki Alalshikh

JUST IN: ‘IMAGINE WHAT HE DOES’ – FURY WILL GET BULLIED BY USYK

While appearing in an interview with Seconds Out, Hearn was asked to share his thoughts about a potential Canelo-Crawford fight after the public feud between His Excellency and Canelo Alvarez. Hearn, who has promoted some of Canelo’s fights in the past and will be part of his upcoming bout against Edgar Berlanga in the role of Berlanga’s promoter, seemed confident in his response: “No.”

He explained, “I don’t think Saul is really that interested in that fight, if I’m honest. He’s kind of made that clear. He told me that a while ago.” He then repeated what Canelo Alvarez has been saying about facing Crawford, claiming he doesn’t see any benefit in fighting someone who climbed from the 147-pound division.

Hearn even highlighted that Canelo would like to face opponents who come forward to fight, rather than Crawford who would, “box a crafty fight in that fight.” He continued, “Saul knows that and he [doesn’t] think he’d get credit for beating a 147-pounder or 154-pounder now.” Also, reflecting on the feud between Canelo and Turki Alalshikh, Hearn said, “I think you just got two very powerful people in the world of boxing that sort of wanted their own way.”

As Hearn says, the potential fight might just be in the grave, but this didn’t stop Crawford from expressing his thoughts about Canelo refusing the Saudi Royal’s deal.

Terence Crawford is calling out Canelo Alvarez for his excuses about a possible fight between them. After his win over Israil Madrimov, Crawford didn’t hold back on Canelo’s size and money issues. “It’s crazy, and it makes me laugh,” Crawford said on The Porter Way Podcast. “Canelo’s been fighting smaller guys his whole career… And I’m a threat to him and I’m a threat to his legacy.” 

Crawford also accused Canelo of being hypocritical, pointing out that the Mexican champ has fought smaller opponents before but is now demanding a huge payday for a fight with him. “If I was easy work, then you would take all that money he’s offering you,” Crawford added. Plus, Crawford wasn’t happy with Eddie Hearn’s claim that Canelo’s name was used to hype up the Crawford vs. Madrimov fight. “We didn’t have to use Canelo’s name to promote s***,” Crawford stated bluntly.

Sadly for boxing fans, who were hoping to see Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford in the ring together, it appears even His Excellency couldn’t convince the Mexican superstar to take the fight. But who knows?

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BOXING RUMOUR: GGG REPORTEDLY OFFERED THE CRAWFORD FIGHT

By
Gennady Golovkin Terence Crawford

Gennady Golovkin has reportedly been offered a fight against Terence Crawford for next year in Saudi Arabia.

GGG has not boxed since losing to Canelo Alvarez in 2022. That capped off their trilogy as Golovkin was arguably deprived of a historic win in their first bout, which was declared a draw. Since then, Golovkin has been weighing up his future. The Khazak admitted that he has not officially retired and will return if the right fight presents itself. This has created the narrative that Golovkin would return for a mega purse now that he is 42, as a world title is unlikely. A fight in Saudi Arabia would do that.

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

“I’m not retired. I never announced my retirement, and it’s not my nature to announce things like that. I think to me, life is moments, and if an opportunity arises or something comes up, yes, we might see Gennady Golovkin in the ring again,” Golovkin said

Crawford had been chasing a fight with Canelo. That would require him to move up two weight classes to chase Canelo’s WBA, WBC and WBO belts. Alvarez has shown a reluctance to take the fight. He reacted negatively to the Saudis contacting him about that fight, saying he was not overlooking Edgar Berlanga ahead of their bout on September 14. Reports also suggested that Crawford could retire if he does not get the Canelo fight.

“I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo. We [will] give him an offer for [Vergil] Ortiz, [but] I don’t know if he’ll take it or not. We have an agreement to do [a] big fight for Ortiz if Crawford doesn’t take the fight. I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo,” Turki Alalshikh said 

GGG would be an alternative. He is a big name, even at the latter end of his career. It also allows Crawford to challenge himself against a 160/168-pounder. If he comes through that, it would tell fans much about whether he could deal with Canelo. But that is a very risky fight. Fighters have shown previously that weight classes are important.

Kell Brook jumped up two weight classes from 147 to face GGG. It was not the best move for his career, as Brook was stopped. He broke his orbital bone as the former IBF Welterweight Champion was no longer the same fighter. There is a risk that Crawford could bite off more than he could chew and ruin his legacy. He is undefeated as a two-weight undisputed champion.

He has also won titles in four weight classes, making him a future ‘Hall of Famer.’ However, since Crawford is 36, he is in the latter stages of his career. There will not be many opportunities to secure big paydays with the Saudis’ help. Taking on bigger and riskier fights will help him do that. If a Canelo fight cannot be made, then a GGG bout may be the next best thing.

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

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Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford

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.

Canelo Alvarez Terence CrawfordJUST IN: ‘I GET PUMPED FOR SUCH THINGS’ – USYK EXPECTS A TOUGH REMATCH FROM FURY

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.

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BOXING

Ryan Garcia & Serhii Bohachuk Join Forces Against Boxing World as HE Turki Alalshikh’s Plan Sets in Motion After Vergil Ortiz Jr. Calls Out Terence Crawford

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Vergil Ortiz Jr. Terence Crawford

Although he had to walk the whole distance, Vergil Ortiz Jr. finally did it! The Grand Prairie-born boxer remains unbeaten. At the Michelob Ultra Arena, Ortiz Jr. defeated Serheii Bohachuk by a majority decision to become the new WBC (interim) light middleweight champion.

The triumph might have caused a dent in his 100% KO record; nevertheless, it has also opened new pathways for the 26-year-old, who has been striving for his share of boxing glory for quite some time. Thus, making his next move on the board, during the post-fight in-ring interview, he called out Terence Crawford.

With the much-sought-after fight between Crawford and Canelo Alvarez falling off the radar, roads appear open for a potential showdown between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and ‘Bud’ Crawford. It’s a matchup that has even caught the attention of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Ortiz Jr. returned to boxing after a break that lasted nearly 17 months. He announced his arrival with a quick dispatch of Frederick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme in the year’s first half. Needless to say, several renowned names from the boxing world took to their keyboards to pen their thoughts; some of them deemed the fight a modern-day classic!

JUST IN: Vergil Ortiz wins despite 2 knockdowns, eyes Crawford

Perhaps both Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serhii Bohachuk, who had previously sparred with each other, had decided on not giving either any quarter. Both went after each other. Round after round, crowds in the arena witness a slugfest, which is sure to enter this year’s fight of the year’s contention.

 

For the first time in his eight-year-old career, Ortiz Jr. suffered two knockdowns. but as rounds proceeded, he got busier, working his way up through precision body shots that slowed down his Ukrainian opponent. Full credit goes to Bohachuk for the fight he gave that eventually witnessed one of the judges going neutral with a 113-113 scroecard. However, for the remaining two, Ortiz Jr. had worked sufficiently to deserve a win: 114-112, 114-112.

The Grand Prairie-born boxer’s feat followed ‘Bud’ Crawford’s light middleweight debut on August 3. The Nebrskan defeated Israil Madrimov to secure the WBA and WBO (interim) titles. Though he has always expressed interest in a fight with Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican icon, it appears he isn’t too keen on the matchup. His price quote for the Crawford fight eventually saw HE Alalshikh release a statement on parting with the project. So what could be next for ‘Bud’ Now that there are two new champions in the 154-pound weight class, a title unification seems like a logical move.

As far as the outcome of the fight is concerned, views fall on either side of the fence. While a few felt the fight could have been a draw, others don’t seem eager about Ortiz Jr.’s future moves, especially the Crawford duel. Let’s check what a few of them had to say.

 

 

 

 

 

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