Mexico's undisputed super middleweight world champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez promises his title bout with Terence Crawford in Las Vegas on September 13 will be one of his “best”.
The 34-year-old became sole possessor of all the title belts at the weight for a second time when he beat IBF champion William Scull by unanimous points decision in Riyadh last month.
Crawford was at that bout and immediately threw down the gauntlet, even though it means the 37-year-old American has to step up two weight divisions.
Alvarez, whose record is an impressive 63-2-2 with 39 knockouts, has been a world champion at four different weights, as indeed has Crawford.
“This fight is going to be one of my best fights in my history, in my record,” Canelo said at a joint press conference with Crawford in Riyadh to get the promotional show on the road.
“I'm very excited and motivated because this is all about I want to make history.”
Alvarez, whose two defeats have come at the hands of Floyd Mayweather at super middleweight in 2013 and then at light heavyweight to Dmitry Bivol in 2023, said he loved boxing but winning was primordial.
“For me it's very important to win this fight. I love boxing. I love winning.
“I'm a winner so I'm very excited to to be in the ring already.”
The fight for the unified super middleweight championship is part of Alvarez's reported $400 million, minimum four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. One of those fights could be in another location.
Riyadh Season is working with UFC CEO Dana White to promote the fight. This is White's first foray into boxing as part of an effort to become a major player in the sport.
“Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I’m going to get to promote is Canelo vs. Crawford?” White said in a statement. “It’s literally a once in a lifetime fight.”
The fight is taking place in collaboration with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia and a leading figure in the world of combat sports.
Crawford, on his part, said fighting someone of Alvarez's stature was his long held dream and his “mega fight”.
“He is the last great fighter from the era of Floyd (Mayweather), (Manny) Pacquiao, (Oscar) De La Hoya,” said Crawford.
“We both came up in that era, and he was right there with those fighters and he got the chance to fight the Miguel Cotto's, the Floyd Mayweather's, and you know Triple G's (Gennady Golovkin).
“I wasn't able to get those mega fights, so this is my mega fight, this is my moment, and that's the reason why I want to fight an all-time great like Canelo.”
Nebraskan Crawford is the unified welterweight champion and WBA junior middleweight champion.
The left-hander's most recent bout came in August last year when he defeated Israil Madrimov for the WBA junior middleweight title.
