Could Terence Crawford retire if Canelo Alvarez fight doesn't happen next?

08/17/2024 09:01 AM

Terence Crawford has seemingly told Saudi boxing chiefs that there is only one fight he wants next – Canelo Alvarez.

HE Turki Alalshikh, who has been staging the recent Saudi-backed fight nights in Riyadh and beyond, does not believe that Crawford will take any other bout.

The American beat Israil Madrimov in the main event of a Riyadh Season Card, in LA, USA earlier this month.

He worked with HE Alalshikh on this event and the pair are now looking for what’s next.

In the build-up to his win over Madrimov, much of the talk was centred around Crawford’s desire to move up in weight again and challenge Canelo in the near future.

However, in the aftermath the Mexican superstar and HE Alalshikh have become embroiled in a public feud after the boxer told the Saudi chief he won’t discuss any potential deal until after his upcoming fight against Edgar Berlanga on September 14 has been dealt with.

As a result, HE Alalshikh has started to talk up Vergil Ortiz as a potential opponent for Crawford instead, with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis also in the mix.

However, when asked about Ennis, HE Alalshikh told The Stomping Ground on Friday: “Great fight, but not the top fight we want to see.”

And when asked who tops the list outside of Canelo, he replied: “I don’t think Crawford will fight anyone except Canelo. This is my opinion.

“This is my opinion and this is what I feel.

“We give him offer for [Vergil] Ortiz and I don’t know if he’ll take it or not.

“We have an agreement to do a big fight for Ortiz if Crawford doesn’t take the fight…

“I don’t think he will take it, I think he only wants Canelo.”

These comments have understandably provoked speculation that Crawford, who will be 37 next month, may retire from boxing if the fight doesn’t happen.

HE Alalshikh did give some hope that the Canelo fight could yet be salvaged though.

"We were talking with Canelo for a long time, around four months to do a big fight with him,” he said.

“What bothered me was when he announced that he respects me but he doesn't like what Riyadh Season is doing to boxing.

“After that I responded with what I responded and he sent an indirect message to me by someone and said, 'No I am respecting you, but there was a situation between me and Eddie Hearn when we talk and I don't like the way Eddie was talking to me.'

“Then I said, ‘It is not my responsibility if something happens between you and someone else, why get me inside this?’

"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 David Benavidez."