Beneath the byline of “The Ring Employees,” Ring Journal introduced yesterday that the supposedly agreed-upon showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford was “now canceled.” The article declined to elaborate, as an alternative promising extra particulars “when obtained,” however we now have an evidence: Mike Coppinger stories that Turki Alalshikh pulled the plug in response to Alvarez’s brewing Might conflict with Jake Paul.
Per Coppinger, the Crawford (41-0, 31 KO) battle was meant to kick off a “profitable three-fight deal.” Alalshikh will as an alternative pursue a considerably higher and extra clamored-for opponent for “Bud”: IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, who meets Eimantas Stanionis in a unification bout this coming April.
In hindsight, this isn’t a stunning growth. Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KO) has been vocally disdainful of the Crawford battle because it was first proposed and proven zero of the broader boxing world’s fawning deference for Alalshikh. To cite Alvarez:
“I’m not asking for that battle. They wish to make that battle as a result of it’s a payday clearly, however I don’t need that battle.”
Cash was the motivating issue right here. If he can get the same amount in opposition to an astronomically worse opponent, all with out being on the hook for 2 extra fights, why wouldn’t he take this highway? Disgrace has by no means factored into Canelo’s decision-making and the sanctioning our bodies have given him free rein to decide on his opponents.
If Canelo vs Paul is the value now we have to pay for Bud vs Boots, I’ll take it.
