NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 5: Canelo Alvarez attends the press conference of Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga … [+]
Either Canelo Alvarez knows his price and won’t accept a cent less, or he doesn’t actually need to fight Terence Crawford and is deliberately setting his price too high.
On Monday, after his press conference to advertise his upcoming fight with Edgar Berlanga on September 14, Alvarez was asked concerning the possible fight with Crawford. Canelo said that “if the money is right” he can be willing to fight Crawford.
The FightHype reporter asked Canelo in the course of the interview how much money it could take to get him to fight Crawford and mentioned $100 million as a potentially acceptable payout. Canelo responded with “150 million dollars.“
Turkii Alalshikh and the Saudi rulers have made the investments vital to deliver the fights that fans have been looking forward to, and given the investments they’ve already made, it is difficult to assume this price being out of their reach.
Canelo’s request may not sound entirely sincere, nonetheless, and Alalshikh seems to have turned away from that possibility for the reason that Mexican legend’s statement. Early Tuesday morning Alalshikh used social media to present an update on his activities on this planet of boxing and he stated that he not wants to rearrange a fight with Canelo.
Instead, Riyadh Season will proceed to expand its operations within the American market. On August 3, Alalshikh and his team produced their first card within the United States. It took place on the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles and was headlined by Terence Crawford against Israel Madrimov for the latter’s WBA super welterweight title.
Crawford took the win via unanimous decision and the fight can have been the right segue to talks with Canelo. Perhaps Canelo’s asking price was a deterrent or there was another factor. In any case, Alalshikh says he isn’t any longer occupied with the fight.
That’s boxing, and things are always changing. A door that seems to shut on Tuesday may open again the next week. I spoke to at least one boxing insider who doesn’t think Alalshikh’s stance is everlasting.
He put it right down to mind games and negotiation tactics. However, there was also an admission that Canelo was considered Crawford’s next opponent, but now a plan B have to be explored, even when the eye ultimately turns back to the Mexican legend.
We’ll see if anything changes, but Canelo’s remainder of profession might be spent fighting the likes of Berlanga and other fighters who’re considered Tier 2 opponents.
