The biggest fights need the biggest platform, and for the September 13 Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford clash, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is pulling every string to make it a historic event. With a rumored purse of $200 million, promotion by Dana White, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as the official venue, and the event streamed live across the globe on Netflix, this has to be the biggest boxing match in recent history.

With everything in place, Canelo Alvarez, the new face of Riyadh Season, is ready to steal the spotlight with the first official press conference in Riyadh tomorrow. However, if he has any say in the matter, Terence Crawford isn’t going to let star power undermine his place in boxing lore.

Terence Crawford won’t take a backseat

On Thursday, the Omaha native reached Riyadh to attend the official press conference scheduled for Friday, 20th June. The two-division undisputed champion immediately shot a video for his fans, giving them the update. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh posted the video on his ‘X’. “What’s up, everybody? Just made it to Riyadh,” said Bud Crawford, exuding confidence. “Check out the press conference on Ring Social.”

However, it was the next statement that flipped the entire narrative. So far, every media outlet has painted Canelo Alvarez as the bigger and better star. He is getting a bigger payday, a bigger contract, and is the poster boy of Riyadh Season since 2026. Nevertheless, Crawford was not going to take the backseat silently. “Crawford-Canelo, not Canelo-Crawford! This Friday!” he declared confidently.

After all, he was the one chasing the clash for years. Without him constantly calling out the undisputed super middleweight champion, this fight would not have been possible. So, the battle lines have been drawn, and if Bud is able to provoke Canelo with his latest dig, we might be in for a spicy press conference.

This is not the first time that Terence Crawford has challenged the narrative around this mega fight. A few weeks ago, he revealed his actual payout for the fight.

Canelo Alvarez is taking away the bag

Ever since Canelo Alvarez signed his four-fight deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, fans have been curious about his fight purses. Well, according to reports, he got the standard $80 million purse for fighting William Scull. However, for the Crawford fight, his total purse will be a whopping $150 million, making him the highest-paid boxer for a single fight.

It allowed the fans to assume that even the Omaha native must be getting paid handsomely, with reports suggesting a career-high purse of $50 million for Terence Crawford. When the reports surfaced, many believed it immediately. However, the actual number might be far lower than that, according to Bud. Recently, in a podcast, the interviewer asked the 37-year-old about his cut for the Canelo fight. “I just want to know what number makes sense for you. What’s fair?” AK asked.

Without wasting a second, Crawford replied, “I got $10 million for that fight [with Canelo],” leaving the two hosts surprised by the low pay. AK assumed the Omaha native was joking, calling the figure a lie. “How you know that’s lie?” asked Terence Crawford, suggesting that he might be telling the truth. For the Omaha native, this fight is about legacy. “I’m doing it for the opportunity, baby. The legacy,” he said, brushing off the disbelief in the room.

While the purse might not be important to Bud, it still paints a contrasting picture. Canelo Alvarez, undoubtedly, is a PPV star. However, Terence Crawford is no slouch either. He is one of the only three male two-division undisputed champions of the four-belt era. And now venturing into his fifth division, he is far more valuable than $10 million, and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh knows that. Given how the Saudi Royal has never shied away from splurging cash for dream fights, this claim by Terence Crawford feels a bit far-fetched.

What do you think? Who should be the poster boy for this mega fight? Let us know your thoughts down below.