Terence Crawford and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez are set to face off in a massive super middleweight clash. The bout will take place on Saturday, September 13, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, with Canelo's four belts on the line.
Crawford, the current welterweight champion, will move up in weight to challenge Alvarez. This matchup has got fans talking, but another potential opponent has thrown his hat into the ring.
Ilia Topuria, the UFC lightweight champion, has set his sights on Crawford. Topuria has made waves in the MMA world, securing three knockouts in just 18 months and defeating big names like Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira.
Crawford recently shared his thoughts on MMA fighters' boxing skills during an interview on the Nelk Boys podcast. He didn't seem impressed with Topuria's technique, stating:
"In terms of pure boxing the best is Cody Garbrant, that guy has hands, he's the best."
Topuria didn't take this comment lying down. He fired back on social media, posting a photo of a brief meeting he had with Crawford in June at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The caption read, "Who would win in a fight?"
But Topuria didn't stop there. He doubled down on his challenge to Crawford, saying:
"I'm not going to talk about what would happen between Crawford and me in the octagon, I'll talk about what will happen in the ring. I'll put him to sleep on the first contact!"
This isn't the first time Topuria has set his sights on boxing's elite. He's previously mentioned wanting to fight boxers like Canelo Alvarez in the near future.
As for Crawford, his schedule for 2026 remains open. He's currently under contract with Turki Alakshikh's Tuyah Season, but no opponents have been confirmed beyond his upcoming fight with Canelo.
The boxing world is buzzing with anticipation for September 13. Fans in Mexico and around the globe are expecting a big announcement that might catch everyone off guard. Will Crawford vs. Canelo live up to the hype? Or will Topuria's challenge add an unexpected twist to the story? Only time will tell.
