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Canelo Alvarez will defend his Super Middleweight Championship against Terrence Crawford in Las Vegas on September 13th. To heighten the stakes, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and the Saudi Boxing Federation, revealed that a knockout bonus will be awarded in the fight.
This announcement was made during the event’s kickoff press conference held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Alalshikh expressed his aim to eliminate “Tom & Jerry Fights,” where one boxer simply evades while the other pursues, and is introducing the knockout bonus starting with the Alvarez-Crawford bout, which will also apply to future events he promotes.
Alalshikh did not disclose the bonus amount or confirm if it would extend to undercard matches. The move reflects a practice similar to UFC’s performance bonuses championed by UFC President Dana White.
Both fighters displayed strong confidence ahead of their fight, which will be broadcast on Netflix. Crawford, who holds a 41-0 record with 31 KOs, emphasized his fighting spirit: “I’m here to win. I don’t run, but I do move a lot.”
Alvarez, with a 62-2-2 record and 39 knockouts, downplayed any major differences between Crawford and his former opponents, highlighting his achievement of being an undisputed world champion in three weight classes in Las Vegas.
“He’s not going to beat me. I’m the winner,” Alvarez asserted.
Crawford, who has knocked out 11 of his last 12 foes, will move up two weight classes from 154 to 168 pounds to challenge Alvarez. He is confident he will preserve his undefeated status while making history by uniting all four major titles in a third weight division.
“Those belts are coming with me,” Crawford declared. “There’s nothing you can do about it.”
Fan Take: This fight is a landmark event for boxing fans, signaling a return to high-stakes action with the knockout bonus incentivizing more aggressive and exciting bouts. It could set a new standard for how major fights are promoted and elevate the competitive spirit in the sport.
