Terence Crawford Credits Turki Alalshikh for Saving Boxing From Greedy Promoters’ Monopoly

There’s no sport quite like boxing, but its reputation has long been tainted by corruption. From sanctioning bodies refusing to strip top stars who dodge mandatory challengers to promoters protecting their fighters from dangerous opponents, the politics have often overshadowed the competition. However, since His Excellency Turki Alalshikh stepped into the sport, things have started to change. He has been instrumental in making some of boxing’s biggest matchups a reality—such as Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk and Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford.

Terence Crawford, in particular, is grateful. While critics argue that allowing him to face Canelo Alvarez without ever competing at super middleweight is itself a sign of the sport’s flaws, the Nebraskan star sees it differently. Speaking on the Full Send Podcast, the undefeated two-division undisputed champion credited Alalshikh for addressing boxing’s biggest issue—corruption—and for bringing the fights fans want to see.

How did Turki Alalshikh make boxing great again?

“Just your fair share, the opportunities—you can be the number one contender, and you can see these fighters keep jumping you,” Crawford said when asked what the biggest problem in boxing is. He explained that many fighters avoid tough matchups because “he’s not worthy enough or he doesn’t have enough followers or his name is not big.” When asked if he had personally experienced this while rising through the ranks, Crawford replied, “Oh yeah, of course.”

“When I first started pro, a lot of people didn’t want to fight me because I didn’t have the money behind me. They knew that I had this talent and the skills because I was a top amateur,” Crawford recalled. He also pointed to promoters refusing to cooperate with one another as a major obstacle to making the best fights happen. Things improved after he signed with Top Rank, but once he moved up in weight, new barriers emerged.

“I couldn’t get those fighters that were at the top at the time that I was trying to get them,” he admitted. When asked about the solution to these long-standing issues, Crawford didn’t hesitate. “Like I said, Turki. He [is] making all these promoters work together, and I think that would have been the best solution in the beginning, they all work together and split the money… and make boxing great.”

He also shed light on how promoters create a monopoly to avoid sharing profits with other promoters. “Nobody wants to share with other promoters. Everybody’s like, ‘I got these fighters, I don’t have to share. I got these fighters… nobody else [needs to] come over here.’ A lot of promoters were doing that,” he said during the podcast. Crawford clearly sees these things as a problem, but he doesn’t seem to mind when such things benefit him. 

WBO ranks Terence Crawford as the No. 1 contender ahead of the Canelo Alvarez fight

Back in July, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) ranked Terence Crawford as its No. 1 contender at the super middleweight division. The 37-year-old vacated the WBO’s interim junior middleweight title as he prepared to challenge Alvarez for the undisputed 168-pound crown. Crawford last fought in August 2024, defeating Israil Madrimov for the interim belt at 154lbs. 

Despite competing above junior middleweight only once in his career, the WBO elevated him ahead of established super middleweights Diego Pacheco, Hamzah Sheeraz, and Jaime Munguia. And what was their justification for the decision? “While these are world-class rising contenders, Crawford’s professional achievements and historical stature stand alone at the highest level of the sport,” the WBO said. 

Previously, the WBO also explained its deference to Crawford, noting, “The committee unanimously allowed Crawford to retain the interim title… in deference to his extraordinary merits, historical accomplishments, and longstanding relationship with the WBO.”

Ultimately, Terence Crawford raised valid concerns about corruption in boxing—but when those very advantages work in his favor, he seems more than willing to embrace them. Is this hypocrisy, or was he forced to accept it?