Canelo Alvarez remains hopeful about a potential fight with Terence Crawford, despite the recent order from the WBO that has directed Crawford’s next fight.
Terence Crawford recently moved up to the 154-pound weight class, where he secured a victory over Israil Madrimov by points, achieving his status as a four-weight world champion. This triumph seemed to set the stage for a blockbuster clash with Alvarez. However, the possibility of this mega-fight has been temporarily shelved, with Alvarez focused on his upcoming bout against Edgar Berlanga next month.
Adding to the complexity, the WBO has now mandated that Crawford face the towering 6’6″ Sebastien Fundora. This new development appears to present yet another hurdle to a fight between Crawford and Alvarez. Nevertheless, Alvarez has responded positively to the situation, maintaining that the matchup with Crawford is still feasible.
When asked by Boxing Scene if the fight with Crawford was off the table due to the WBO’s order, Alvarez stated, “I don’t think so. I’m not saying that fight can’t happen. That order doesn’t matter.”
Sebastien Fundora represents a formidable challenge for Crawford, given his significant height advantage—standing 9 inches taller than the 5’8″ Crawford. The proposed fight would be for Crawford’s WBA belt, with Fundora’s WBO and WBC belts also at stake in what could be a high-stakes unification clash.
Despite the intrigue surrounding a potential bout, Fundora’s promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz, remains skeptical that Crawford will agree to the fight. “I’m waiting on an offer now, and I’m certain one will not come until after the 14th,” Lewkowicz commented. “I’d like to find out right now if [Crawford’s] going to fight for the money or the titles. I believe he wants the money. Crawford will do everything he can to fight Canelo, and [his team] will not call me until after the fight. Crawford is 37 years old, and Sebastian Fundora will kick his f*****g a*s.”
Crawford, known as ‘Bud,’ has already accomplished a great deal in the sport, and there was an expectation that he might wait for a chance to face Alvarez in 2025. Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh had expressed interest in staging the fight, but negotiations have currently stalled until after Alvarez’s upcoming title defense.
However, Alalshikh has since reopened the possibility, indicating that offers will be available if both fighters are committed to making the fight happen in the future. He explained, “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. 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.”
As the boxing world eagerly waits, the possibility of a clash between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford remains in the air, hinging on future negotiations and the outcomes of their respective upcoming fights.
