The past few days have been a real nightmare for journalists covering international boxing. The major news outlets have been thrown into complete chaos, bombarding their readers with announcements and retractions regarding Saul Alvarez’s future in a whirlwind of confusion. Now, it seems the saga has finally reached its conclusion, as Canelo has signed a four-fight deal with Alalshikh under the Riyadh Season banner.
It all started a few days ago when The Ring—with countless media outlets immediately following suit—reported that Alvarez and Crawford had reached an agreement to fight in September at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
However, just a couple of days later, the legendary American magazine backtracked, announcing that the super fight had been canceled without providing any explanation for the shocking reversal.
Soon after, another bombshell began circulating online. In an interview with The Ring, Eddie Hearn claimed that Saul Alvarez and Jake Paul were finalizing negotiations for a May 3rd fight. This scenario was further confirmed by ESPN journalist Mike Coppinger, who is usually at the forefront of reporting upcoming fights.
As expected, this news triggered a massive backlash, with countless fans lashing out at the Mexican fighter for what many perceived as a blatant cash grab—a way to earn an enormous payday without taking any real risks, completely disregarding sporting merit.
However, the outrage quickly faded when yet another twist turned the situation upside down. Turki Alalshikh officially announced that he had secured Canelo’s signature for four fights under the Riyadh Season banner. The first bout will take place in May in Saudi Arabia, the second in September in Las Vegas, and the final two will be held back in Riyadh.
The identities of Canelo’s opponents remain uncertain, but early reports suggest that his first rival could be either Jermall Charlo or Bruno Surace. Terence Crawford, as he himself has confirmed, remains the frontrunner for the September showdown, while no details have emerged regarding the final two fights.