LAS VEGAS: Super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and undefeated multi-weight challenger Terence Crawford completed their weigh-in on Friday ahead of Saturday’s highly anticipated bout.
Both fighters — who are among the most accomplished boxers of the past 20 years — came in at 167.5 pounds (75.9 kg) for their showdown at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders NFL team.
The fight, sponsored by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, and co-sponsored by Riyadh Season and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, will be broadcast live on Netflix at 4 a.m. KSA time on Sunday, Sept. 14. There is no fee for subscribers.
Neither boxer spoke as they took to the scales at T-Mobile Arena, which was full to capacity with members of the public. Most seemed to cheer Canelo and jeer Crawford; Crawford has previously acknowledged the predicted largely Mexican audience, saying the superior support for his opponent is something he would have to overcome.
Both men stood almost nose-to-nose after the weigh-in as they posed for photographs. The fighters’ final face-off was preceded by weigh-ins for the undercard fights to be held in advance of the headline bout.
The main card will feature a super welterweight fight between Callum Walsh and Fernando Vargas Jr., and an interim super middleweight title fight between Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez.
Two Saudi Arabians will also take to the ring, with Mohammed Alakel facing off against Travis Crawford in the super featherweight division and Sultan Al-Mohammed taking on Martin Caraballo in the super lightweight category.
Fan rivalry for the main event has ramped up in the run-up to Saturday’s fight, with Canelo appearing to enjoy an edge thanks to support from the Mexican American community in Las Vegas.
Canelo was born on the outskirts of Guadalajara and is undefeated in the super middleweight division.
Crawford, born in Omaha, Nebraska, is a former lightweight champion, junior welterweight undisputed champion, and the current unified welterweight champion and World Boxing Association junior middleweight champion.
