His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has changed the sport of boxing for good. After finally breaking the wheel by luring the best against the best, he is about to launch a new boxing league by bringing TKO Group into the mix. However, even a kingmaker isn’t safe from a little taunting and teasing, especially after the latest buzz around Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford.

This all comes hot on the heels of Canelo Alvarez’s win over William Scull in Riyadh on Saturday night, where the Mexican superstar grabbed the IBF super middleweight title and made history as a two-time undisputed champion. While the fight might have left much to be desired, the aftermath of the fight seems to have left fans buzzing. 

Bromance between His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Terence Crawford

Right after Canelo’s win, the GEA Chairman stepped into the ring with a major announcement. Anticipation for a Canelo vs. Crawford showdown had been brewing ever since ‘Cinnamon’ inked that four-fight deal with Alalshikh. With William Scull now in the rearview, the mastermind of Saudi boxing made it official: Canelo vs. Crawford is set for September 12th at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

But it wasn’t just the announcement that had fans buzzing—it was how it happened. Before dropping the bombshell, Alalshikh invited Terence Crawford, who was watching from the ringside, into the ring. Then, in a moment that instantly went viral, he held Crawford’s hand while making the announcement.

Reddit, of course, had a field day. Over on r/boxingcirclejerk, a post featuring the pair hand-in-hand was captioned, “BFFs holding hands. So nice to see people from such different walks of life holding hands in public like the BFFs they are :)” Naturally, it didn’t take long before the moment was being poked at, memed, and lovingly roasted across the internet.

Canelo Alvarez gets branded a third wheel

Since the post, hundreds of comments have been flooding in. One user suggested that Crawford must be embarrassed by the moment. “Bud is questioning his life choices here. Bet his homies group chat is 🔥🔥🔥🔥,” the user commented. However, it’s worth noting that Saudi culture doesn’t look at such things as taboo like people in the States. 

Meanwhile, this user suggested what Canelo Alvarez might have been thinking about at the very moment. “I’m so glad my hands are preoccupied holding these belts,’ Canelo probably,” the user wrote. Notably, Alalshikh has been seen holding hands with other people as well, including Dana White. He isn’t giving Crawford any special treatment. 

 The next user felt Canelo Alvarez was third-wheeling in Alalshikh and Crawford’s bromance. “Canelo third wheel :((,” the user commented. Yet Canelo looked unfazed in the picture. 

Another user felt Crawford endured the embarrassment because of the fat check he would get from the fight. “If the check clears…I’m holding his hand too. 🤑,” the user wrote. It’s currently unclear how much money the boxers are making from the fight, though given the scale of the fight, it must be huge. 

Even the next user echoed the same sentiment. “Crazy what people put up with when there’s enough money on the table,” the user remarked. But for Crawford, as he has said, the Canelo fight is also about his legacy in the sport. 

That said, it seems the hand-holding moment between His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and Terence Crawford has become prime meme material among fans. What’s your take—heartwarming show of respect or just an awkward viral moment?