On Saturday night in Las Vegas one of the biggest fights of recent years, and certainly of 2025, will take place when Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez faces the American Terence Crawford. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is it?
In its simplest form, this is a fight for the undisputed world super middleweight title – but it is so much more than that.
It is a clash between two modern legends, two fighters who long ago punched their tickets to the hall of fame. In Canelo, you have the greatest Mexican fighter of this generation, and in Crawford, the greatest American.
It’s a genuine super fight between two boxers who for years have sat right at the top of the sport's pound-for-pound rankings.
Who are the fighters?
Canelo, 35, has been the face of boxing for the past decade, emerging as the sport’s biggest star as the careers of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao began to wind down.
One week after those two served up a turkey in their May 2015 showdown, Canelo knocked out James Kirkland in spectacular fashion and has not looked back since.
He has captured world titles in four divisions, from light middleweight all the way up to light heavyweight, and is currently the holder of all four major titles at super middleweight. He packs out arenas and sells pay per views thanks to a huge global fan base.
Despite all that success, he has his critics. He was widely considered to have been gifted a draw in a controversial first bout with Gennady Golovkin and was caught doping ahead of the rematch, which he won via a contentious split decision.
Crawford, 38, is also a four-division world champion who did the majority of his best work at light welterweight and welterweight, becoming undisputed champion in both divisions.
The Nebraskan switch-hitter is a technical marvel but also has a toughness and mean streak which set him apart. Such is his talent, he should be a far bigger star, but over the years Crawford has fallen foul of the promotional rifts in American boxing.
He was frozen out and forced to wait years for a defining bout against Errol Spence. When it finally arrived, he wiped the floor with Spence to underline his all-time great pedigree.
Why haven’t they met before?
In a word: size. Canelo and Crawford have spent their careers operating several weight divisions apart and this wasn’t a fight anyone ever deemed realistic until Crawford won a title at light middleweight and started calling out the Mexican.
He must still jump up two further weight classes for this bout, and that is what is driving the intrigue. Will Crawford be as agile having bulked up? Can he take Canelo’s power? Is Canelo past his best after a long career, or will he simply be too big and too strong?
Ultimately, this is a case of two fighters who are on their way out of the sport combining their brands to create a monstrous event and even bigger payday. That said, it still has the potential to be legacy-defining for both.
What are the fighters being paid?
The total purse for the Canelo v Crawford fight is $200 million, with Canelo banking a guaranteed $150m and Crawford $50m.
Why is it on Netflix?
Netflix has been dabbling in the live sports market for a little while now, and that has translated into a few early forays into prizefighting.
The huge potential for combat sports on Netflix was evidenced by the staggering numbers recorded for their screening of the Jake Paul v Mike Tyson exhibition bout of November 2024.
Since then they secured the rights for a major women’s boxing card headlined by the trilogy fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
This will be their first men’s boxing card between elite fighters and, should it prove just as successful, then expect Netflix to become a regular bidder for the starrier events the sport produces.
For clarity, this event is available worldwide at no extra cost to all Netflix subscribers.
Is this a Saudi Arabia backed show?
Very much so. In fact, there is no chance this would be happening without the personal efforts of Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi power broker now de facto running world boxing.
Alalshikh has been on a personal crusade to make Canelo-Crawford for the past two years and has shelled out big money to sign both fighters to lucrative multi-fight deals.
Why is Dana White involved?
White, the long-serving UFC supremo, is making his promotional debut in boxing for this bout.
White has been an outspoken critic of the sport in the past, but has been hand-picked by Alalshikh as the figurehead for the latest phase of his boxing takeover.
White has started a promotional entity called Zuffa Boxing in partnership with TKO Holdings and backed up by Alalshikh. With TKO being the parent company of UFC and WWE, Saturday's event seems like a key milestone as TKO look to add boxing to their expanding combat sports empire.
It’s a move that could see traditional promoters and sanctioning bodies frozen out, with the group looking to monopolise the sport and introduce their own rankings and championship belts in the near future.
That process began when Alalshikh acquired Ring Magazine last year, and with it their belts, rankings and brand recognition.
When and where is it?
The event takes place at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, on Saturday, September 13.
Who is on the undercard?
Main card:
Canelo Alvarez v Terence Crawford; WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF super middleweight titles
Callum Walsh v Fernando Vargas Jr; light middleweight
Christian M'billi v Lester Martinez; interim WBC super middleweight title
Mohammed Alakel v John Ornelas; lightweight
Preliminary card:
Serhii Bohachuk v Brandon Adams; middleweight
Ivan Dychko v Jermaine Franklin; heavyweight
Reito Tsutsumi v Javier Martinez; super featherweight
Sultan Almohamed v Martin Caraballo; light welterweight
Steven Nelson v Raiko Santana; light heavyweight
Marco Verde v Marcos Osorio-Betancourt; super middleweight
What time does the show start?
Fight times are yet to be officially confirmed, but it’s expected that the six-fight preliminary card will begin at 2.30pm local time in Las Vegas. That’s 1.30am Sunday morning UAE time, 10.30pm UK.
The main card will begin at 6pm local time, that’s 5am Sunday morning in the UAE, 2am in the UK.
What time is the main event?
Ring walks for the main event are expected to take place at 8.30pm local time, that’s 7.30am Sunday morning in the UAE, 4.30am UK.
All times are subject to change, especially with a lengthy undercard preceding the main event.
