The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia kicked off the global press tour for the much-anticipated “Fight of the Century” between boxing champions Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford, marking a major milestone in its rise as a global power in combat sports.
Held Friday night at the Bakr Al Sheddi Theater in Boulevard City under Riyadh Season, the first leg of the promotional campaign was attended by boxing royalty, international media and top sporting figures. It sets the stage for the super middleweight clash scheduled for September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation, HE Turki Alalshikh, led the press conference, emphasizing the Kingdom’s growing influence in global boxing.
“Saudi Arabia is not just participating—we’re leading,” Alalshikh said.
“This is the biggest fight in the past decade, and we’re fully funding it. We own this moment”, he added.
Alalshikh praised the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and reiterated that staging the event in Las Vegas—often dubbed the boxing capital—was a strategic move to elevate Saudi Arabia’s global visibility, not a concession of influence.
With a touch of humor, Alalshikh joked about being in Crawford’s corner and brushed off comments from promoter Oscar De La Hoya about fight timings, saying, “This is real boxing. Not Tom & Jerry”.
He also revealed knockout bonuses would be introduced to discourage lackluster matches, vowing, “No more running fights”.
The press conference featured boxing elites from both camps.
Canelo Álvarez, boasting a record of 62 wins (39 KOs), said, “It’s about pride, faith and family. On September 13, I’ll represent my people with honor”.
Terence Crawford, unbeaten with 41 wins (31 KOs), declared his goal to become the first three-division undisputed champion in the four-belt era.
“This will be one of the biggest fights in the last 20 years. I will be victorious”, said Crawford.
The conference was moderated by seasoned broadcaster Todd Grisham, with attendees including WWE CEO Nick Khan, promoter Richard Schaefer and renowned trainer Eddy Reynoso.
Netflix will stream the historic bout, with Alalshikh expressing confidence in the platform’s global reach.
“This is the future. We’re setting records”, said Alalshikh.
He also hinted at extended partnerships with both Canelo and Crawford, stating that Saudi Arabia’s vision for combat sports extends far beyond this fight.
The global press tour will continue in New York on Sunday during Fanatics Fest, before concluding in Las Vegas—building anticipation for what is being hailed as a defining moment in modern boxing.