Saudi Arabian boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh has accused Canelo Alvarez of ‘looking for easier fights’ and ‘wasting our time’ after the Mexican superstar demanded £118million to fight Terence Crawford.

Speculation of a super-fight between Alvarez and Crawford ramped up after the latter dethroned Israil Madrimov to claim the WBA and vacant WBO super welterweight world titles.

Alalshikh even extended an offer to Alvarez’s camp the same day of Crawford’s bout against Madrimov, such was his desire to stage the fight.

It would have taken an astronomical sum to get it over the line, although Alvarez insisted in an interview with FightHype he’d fight Crawford ‘if the money is right’, it would have taken an astronomical sum.

And it appears Alvarez’s eye-watering financial request turned Alalshikh off from the mooted bout.

Turki Alalshikh is no longer interested in pitting Canelo Alvarez against Terence Crawford
+5

Turki Alalshikh is no longer interested in pitting Canelo Alvarez against Terence Crawford


+5

Alvarez has a super middleweight title fight against Edgar Berlanga to get through first

‘I decided to disregard the Canelo fight as I don’t want it anymore,’ Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, wrote on X.

Alvarez, who defends his WBA, WBC and WBO super middleweight titles against Edgar Berlanga on 14 September, responded by claiming he didn’t ‘really care’ about facing Crawford anyway.

‘I’m good with what I’m doing,’ Alvarez told FightHype.

‘I don’t need that kind of thing. I’m not looking for that kind of fight. If they want the fight, OK, it’s my way not their way.’

Alvarez’s statement sparked a fiery response from Alalshikh, who sensationally claimed the Mexican is only interested in ‘making easy show-only fights.’

‘I heard what Canelo said that he respects me but doesn’t like the way we do business,’ Alalshikh wrote on X.

‘As for him respecting me, it doesn’t matter to me if he does or not.

‘As for the way I do business, I know why he doesn’t like it, because I only target big fights at fair prices, so of course anyone who likes easy fights won’t like that. And I know how he feels after losing to Bivol, so he’s been looking for easier fights ever since. Also, I’m not the one who’s afraid of fighting Benavidez or Crawford.

‘Therefore, I knew he was wasting our time and making excuses with big amounts of money that can’t be paid. So I’m continuing my way to make big fights that serve the boxing world, and he’s on his way to making easy show-only fights.’

Crawford entered the super welterweight division with a bang after dethroning Madrimov
+5

Crawford entered the super welterweight division with a bang after dethroning Madrimov

Alvarez was blasted by Alalshikh for requesting a staggering nine-figure sum to fight Crawford
+5

Alvarez was blasted by Alalshikh for requesting a staggering nine-figure sum to fight Crawford

Alalshikh took to social media to deliver a fiery verdict on what he thought about Alvarez
+5

Alalshikh took to social media to deliver a fiery verdict on what he thought about Alvarez

However, Ortiz Jr must first beat Serhii Bohachuk on 10 August as they square off for the interim WBC super welterweight title.Alalshikh also declared Texan knockout artist Vergil Ortiz Jr would get the next shot at Crawford had Alvarez not taken the fight.

Alalshikh has quickly catapulted himself into becoming one of boxing’s biggest names having shelled out millions to host mega fights in Saudi Arabia.

The nation has already hosted Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou, Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk as well as the five-versus-five battle between Matchroom and Queensberry.