Admitting PPV Crisis, Terence Crawford Hails Turki Alalshikh’s Sacrifice to Keep Boxing Alive With Dana White

“I don’t know,” Terence Crawford admitted to NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe when asked if his fight with Canelo Alvarez could surpass the $600 million record set by Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao in 2015. Bud Crawford explained that today’s era is dominated by digital platforms and piracy, making it harder to reach the same numbers as before. He even joked, “My kids be talking about, ‘Oh yeah, I’m watching the UFC fights.’ I’m like, ‘I ain’t pay for no UFC fight.’ They watching it on their phones.”

He compared it to the early 2000s when artists struggled to sell music because of pirated CDs. Even so, Terence Crawford remains confident the fight with Canelo will deliver huge numbers and a major impact, even if it doesn’t break all-time records. “I just think it’s going to do tremendous numbers,” he said. Crawford also pointed out that even without reaching Mayweather–Pacquiao levels, the bout could still rank among the most lucrative combat sports events of the modern streaming era, given its crossover appeal. And now, despite the ongoing PPV piracy issues in boxing, Bud Crawford continues to express strong respect for what Turki Alalshikh is building for the sport alongside Dana White.

Terence Crawford credits Turki Alalshikh for making big fights happen

With less than two weeks to go before his undisputed super middleweight title fight against Canelo Alvarez at Allegiant Stadium, Terence Crawford joined the Full Send Podcast recently, to discuss how the matchup came together and the people driving boxing forward. There, the Omaha native revealed that the fight wasn’t pitched to him by Netflix but rather sparked by his own initiative. “It was me going to Turki Alalshikh and letting him know that I was serious about fighting Canelo,” he said.

Crawford admitted there was initial pushback, with many saying Alvarez was too big and that he should stick to his own weight class. But he countered by pointing out that Canelo himself moved up from lower divisions. “He is not a messy fighter. He is thick, but he is not giant,” Crawford explained, adding that they carefully weighed the decision before committing.

When asked how much Turki Alalshikh is changing the sport, Terence Crawford didn’t hold back. “He’s changing his sport in a crazy way,” he said, noting that HE Alalshikh has made big fights possible that fans had long wanted to see. The 41-0 boxer even pointed to bouts like Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev and Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury as examples, saying those matchups likely wouldn’t have happened without HE Alalshikh stepping in with the financial backing to make them reality.

Crawford emphasized that Alalshikh’s involvement goes beyond money. “He is fair. But at the same time, he is a fan of the sport,” he explained, adding that the Saudi advisor often prioritizes legacy and global visibility over profit. For Crawford, that approach mirrors the kind of vision boxing lacked during its fragmented promotional years.

Beyond the money, Terence Crawford praised the Saudi Arabian advisor’s approach to boxing. “He is fair. But at the same time, he is a fan of the sport,” he explained. According to the 37-year-old, the Riyadh season head isn’t simply chasing profits, he often takes losses because his goal is to restore boxing’s prominence to where it once rivaled sports like football and basketball.

Finally, when asked about Dana White’s involvement in promoting the fight, Bud Crawford saw it as a positive. “It’s new. This is his first time promoting a boxing event, but Dana is a great promoter,” he said. Crawford even believes White’s experience in building the UFC, combined with HE Alalshikh’s vision, can help bring boxing and MMA together in ways that make combat sports bigger than ever before. But now that Terence Crawford is preparing for his legacy-defining bout with the Mexican champion, is he also receiving help from Floyd Mayweather, who famously defeated Canelo Alvarez back in 2013?

Terence Crawford stands alone ahead of Canelo showdown

A few days ago, in an interview with Fight Hype, Terence Crawford opened up about his preparation for the $200 million showdown with Canelo Alvarez. When asked about online rumors suggesting a possible collaboration with Floyd Mayweather, the interviewer said, “I know that there’s been rumours circling online. I don’t know how true. I know you have a good relationship with Floyd. Is there a potential that you guys may have talked about anything?” Terence Crawford shut it down with a brief six-word response.

“Not at all. Not at all,” the Nebraskan southpaw revealed. His concise reply dismissed the speculation and emphasized his independence heading into the fight. A win over Canelo would not only cement Crawford’s legacy but could also put him on course to surpass Mayweather’s iconic 50-0 record at the age of 37, something even Mayweather himself might not welcome.

That said, Terence Crawford appears determined to give everything against Alvarez in pursuit of becoming the first fighter in the modern four-belt era to claim undisputed status in three separate weight divisions. That feat would place him in truly uncharted territory, separating him even from the likes of Pacquiao, Hopkins, or Usyk, because no one has ever achieved three-division undisputed status in the sanctioning-body era. With Crawford yet to decide what comes after this bout, the immediate focus remains on how he handles a natural super middleweight like Canelo. So, now that Alvarez enters as the heavy fan favorite, do you think Terence Crawford is about to suffer the first loss of his professional career?