DATE FOR 'ONCE IN A LIFETIME' CANELO ALVAREZ V TERENCE CRAWFORD FIGHT ANNOUNCED AS STREAMING GIANT CLAIMS RIGHTS

• Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in Las Vegas on September 13

• The hotly anticipated bout between the boxing greats will be streamed on Netflix

Boxing legends Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Terence Crawford will face off in a hotly anticipated bout in Las Vegas on September 13.

The fight between the super-middleweight and light-middleweight champions was announced after Alvarez defeated William Scull to reclaim the 168lb undisputed crown in a unanimous decision victory last month.

The contest was originally scheduled for September 12 but was moved to the following day after the venue, the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, was booked for football matches. 

The bout, which will be streamed on Netflix, will be Alvarez's 68th fight. 

He boasts a record of 63-2-2, including six straight wins, and has dominated boxing since losing to Floyd Mayweather twelve years ago. 

The 39-year-old has held titles across four weight groups and his only other defeat  came against Dmitry Bivol in 2022.

Meanwhile, Crawford, who will move up two weight classes to face Alvarez, remains undefeated in 41 fights but has only competed in five between 2020 and 2024. 

Following confirmation of the fight, Alvarez said: 'I'm super happy to be making history again and this time on a Riyadh Season Card that will be broadcast on Netflix. On September 13, I'm ready to show once again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.'

Crawford added: 'My perfect record speaks for itself. I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top. On September 13, my hand will be raised once again as the world watches greatness.'

He previously said: 'Man, we're going to see come fight time what my advantage is.

'I'm the type of guy who likes to feel my fighters out and adjust to what they're doing.

'I think that's my greatest attribute, to be able to figure out every opponent I've faced thus far.

'I'm looking to do the same come fight time when the Canelo fight happens.

'I'm going to feel great [at 168lbs]. I don't need to worry about the weight. I know I'm going to feel great.'

Turki Alalshikh will join UFC president Dana White and Sela to promote the event. 

In a statement, White said: 'Turki wants to make the biggest fights the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley.

'Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I'm going to get to promote is Canelo vs. Crawford? It's literally a once in a lifetime fight.'

- ADAM POGRUND

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JAKE PAUL 'EXPOSES' CANELO ALVAREZ BY LEAKING SIGNED FIGHT CONTRACT

Jake Paul has shared what he claims is a signed contract for him to fight Canelo Alvarez, with the YouTuber left fuming after Canelo signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season

Jake Paul has hit out at Canelo Alvarez

Jake Paul has slammed Canelo Alvarez after the four-weight world champion signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season instead of facing the YouTuber.

The two parties had been in talks to fight in May before the deal collapsed and Paul has now hit out at Canelo, sharing what he claims is a contract for the bout that was signed by them both. "We had a signed contract to fight," Paul claimed in a video posted on social media.

"Here you can see Canelo's signature and my signature to the right. Claiming he's not fighting YouTubers. Bulls***... Claiming he's fighting real fighters, but he's fighting [Terence] Crawford, a 135-pound fighter, and running from a real fighter like David Benavidez. You b****."

Canelo is now expected to fight in Saudi Arabia in May, before clashing with Crawford in Las Vegas in September. Crawford is currently the WBA light middleweight champion and has previously held titles in three other weight classes, with the 37-year-old a former undisputed light welterweight champion.

Canelo, meanwhile, currently holds the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and Ring super middleweight titles which is two weight classes above where Crawford is currently fighting. Canelo has previously fought at light middleweight, although his last outing came in September 2016 when he beat Liam Smith.

"The truth is, you can be bought," Paul continued. "You're a money-hungry squirrel chasing your next nut. The truth is, these sports-washing, shady characters are paying you hundreds of millions of dollars to stop our fight from happening because they couldn't fathom the fact that they can't create a bigger fight than me and you."

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, told ESPN that Canelo "only fights real fighters" after their deal was announced and it was claimed that Alalshikh told Canelo that he would pull his offer if he went ahead with his plans to fight Paul.

Canelo has hit back at Paul, telling Ring Magazine : "Hey guys, don't pay attention to anything [from] this f***ing YouTuber. I just fight real fighters... no f***ing around with Canelo! Come on - Let's go!"

Reports have claimed that Jermall Charlo and Bruno Surace are under consideration as potential opponents for Canelo in May. Charlo is a former two-weight world champion with a 33-0 record, while Surace is also undefeated and upset former junior middleweight champion Jaime Mungui in his most recent fight.

- Matthew Cooper

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ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. DANIEL DUBOIS | RIYADH SEASON CARD: WEMBLEY EDITION | PICTURES

 

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ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. DANIEL DUBOIS | FULL FIGHT RIYADH SEASON CARD: WEMBLEY EDITION

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'GLADIATOR' ANTHONY JOSHUA WEIGHS IN SLIGHTLY HEAVIER THAN DANIEL DUBOIS

Matchroom Boxing 

Hundreds of boxing fans packed London's Trafalgar Square on Friday to watch Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois weigh in and face off for the final time before their IBF heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) weighed in at 252 pounds, slightly heavier than Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), who topped the scales at 248 pounds.

After stepping off the scales, Joshua made a plea to fans, most of whom were cheering for him over his opponent.

"If I can ask you one favour, go home tonight and make a prayer for me, for success tomorrow, that I will become three-time heavyweight champion of the world," Joshua said.

"I look at myself as a gladiator, and I'm about to step into an arena tomorrow to perform for the people who love to see blood, guts and glory."

Dubois was slightly more reserved and appeared laser-focused.

"I'm ready to fight, just time to get in the ring and fight. I'm ready to go. A lot of work going into this, a lot of training. I win by any means necessary," Dubois said.

The weigh-in brought to a close an eventful fight week that has seen events take place at some of London's most iconic venues -- including media duties at Old Billingsgate, a photoshoot in front of Tower Bridge, grand arrivals in Leicester Square and a news conference at the Guildhall, built in 1440.

"With Riyadh season, they really do push the limits. In Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, we took over Santa Monica Pier [and] the Chinese Theatre," Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, told ESPN.

"This is obviously Trafalgar Square ... so one, it's a lot closer to home, and two, it's a considerable cost and investment to do [hold events].

"It's been incredible the whole week, and this is the icing on the cake before what will be a historic night at Wembley tomorrow.

Of Joshua, Hearn said he is in career-best shape, but warned Dubois will offer a tough test.

"AJ's in a place that I've never seen him in before. I mean, I'm always nervous about his fights, but he just mentally, physically looks so ready. But Dubois is a handful, it's not going to be an easy fight," Hearn said.

"But I believe he'll be victorious tomorrow and become three-time world heavyweight champion.

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, confirmed on Thursday that tickets had sold out, with a post-war-record crowd of 96,000 expected at Wembley on Saturday night.

Frank Warren, Dubois' promoter, said the event will be one to remember.

"Bombs away, that's what it's going to be," Warren said.

"I'm very excited, it's a massive massive fight and we're going to see fireworks tomorrow.

"[Dubois] is young man, just turned 27, he's shown what he's all about. He's calm, cool and collected. Tomorrow night, you're going to see something special."

- James Regan

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TURKI ALALSHIKH RULES OUT WORKING WITH ANOTHER FIGHTER AFTER CANELO SPAT: "HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND"

Turki Alalshikh has made him name well known in the sport of boxing since his relatively recent entry.

Under the Riyadh Season banner, the 43-year-old from Saudi Arabia has helped stage such fights as Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua-Francis Ngannou and, most recently, Terence Crawford’s successful bid at a world title in a fourth weight class against Israil Madrimov.

That Crawford card was Alalshikh’s first effort outside of Saudi, taking the show on the road to Los Angeles. One fighter who was meant to feature on the entertaining undercard was former WBO Super-Welterweight Champion, Tim Tszyu.

Tszyu was upgraded from interim to full champion last year and defended the belt successfully against Brian Mendoza. He suffered a nasty cut in his second outing as champion against Sebastian Fundora and lost on the cards.

He was set to bounce back in a big way by facing Vergil Ortiz on the Riyadh Season LA card, though doctors ruled it was too early for him to spar after the Fundora cut and it was canned.

Alalshikh was asked by Fight Hub TV if Tszyu, now fit, was in his plans for the future, but has answer was a stark no.

“I will not work with Tim Tszyu. Let him [do it] his way. He doesn’t understand.”

Tszyu is slated to return to the ring against unbeaten Russian and IBF Champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, though nothing has been made official yet.

Ortiz instead faced Serhii Bohachuk this weekend, winning the WBC Interim belt on points after a fight of the year contender. Alalshikh said the fight could have been called a draw and encouraged a rematch.

His decision on Tszyu comes just days after he entered into a public spat with unified super-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, claiming the elite Mexican fighter no longer wants to challenge himself in the ring. In this more recent interview, he said they may work together down the line if Canelo was ‘wise.’

- Kerr Furgoson