Turki Alalshikh Abandons Canelo-Crawford Bout

Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Riyadh Season, has announced a significant shift in boxing promotions by withdrawing his offer for a highly anticipated fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford. Instead, Alalshikh aims to focus on the U.S. market, planning to create bigger fights for Crawford and other top fighters such as Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson. This decision follows Crawford's recent victory over Israil Madrimov, which had reignited interest in the Canelo matchup. Alalshikh expressed his intention to support Crawford's career while also addressing communication issues with Tim Tszyu's team. His new strategy emphasizes promoting promising bouts in the U.S. and international events, including the Riyadh Season card and other major fights scheduled for late 2024 and early 2025. The boxing community is left speculating on the implications of this pivot for future matchups and the overall landscape of the sport.