Canelo Alvarez Signs Four-Fight Deal with Riyadh Season

In a recent development in the world of boxing, Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez has agreed to a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, successfully leveraging a speculated bout with Jake Paul into a much larger contract. The deal was announced on social media by Turki Alalshikh, the head of Riyadh Season and the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia.

Alvarez’s response to this news was swift and positive, responding on social media with words that suggest his readiness to step into the arena, “Let’s go brother.”

The first fight under Alvarez’s new deal is expected to take place in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Further, the long-reigning welterweight champion, Terence Crawford, could possibly be his second opponent under this deal. Crawford, clearly excited about the prospect, posted on social media in reply to Alalshikh, “I’m waiting on Canelo in September and going to shock the world in Riyadh Season!”

According to Ring Magazine, a prominent publication in the boxing industry, it is reported that a September bout against Crawford is planned to take place in Las Vegas at the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium.

Terence Crawford, considered by many as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, has had a successful run in the ring. He emerged victorious against Israil Madrimov in his last bout during a super welterweight championship boxing match in Los Angeles on August 3. He defeated Madrimov by a unanimous decision to become a four-division champion, thereby enhancing his reputation as a formidable fighter.

Alvarez, on the other hand, has made a name for himself as the biggest money maker in boxing over the years. The 34-year-old super middleweight champion utilized the potential of a stunt fight against Paul to secure a major commitment from the Saudi Arabian government arm, which has injected a significant amount of money into the sport in recent times.

Alvarez was a strong favorite to beat Paul, the YouTube star who has transformed himself into one of the biggest draws in combat sport by taking on mixed martial artists, even legendary boxers like Mike Tyson. However, Alvarez now seems to be back on track for a meeting with Crawford, who will need to move up two weight divisions to fight Canelo.

In his last fight that took place in September in Las Vegas, Alvarez outpointed Edgar Berlanga, improving his record to an impressive 62-2-2, with 39 knockouts. His impressive performance has attracted the attention of former UFC champion Conor McGregor, who mentioned in a December post on social media that he had reached a preliminary agreement to fight Paul in an exhibition boxing match.