The fight week for the Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford super-fight reached fever pitch on Thursday as the two boxers faced off in a press conference at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event, which marked the first time the protagonists shared a stage, transformed a fanciful match-up into a material reality, with the energy of the fans finally giving the fight the spark it needed.
Veteran boxing pundit Max Kellerman made a surprise return to the sport, brought in to host the proceedings after a long absence. In a video package played on the big screens, he explained: “I just waited for a real reason to return.” The crowd enthusiastically received promotional videos for each fighter, one soundtracked by The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” for Canelo and another by Eminem’s “Won’t Back Down” for Crawford, highlighting the sheer greatness of the two headliners.
Upon emerging, both boxers received mixed receptions, though support appeared weighted in Canelo’s favour, as expected for Saturday’s bout at Allegiant Stadium. The Mexican, wearing a black vest and sunglasses, and the American, in all white, are not known for their verbal flair. Crawford said: “I’m ready to shock the world,” while Canelo offered: “I feel great, this fight means a lot. I can’t wait for Saturday night. This fight for me is big, it’s one of the biggest fights of my career.”
Crawford also taunted his detractors, stating: “Anybody can be a nobody, and from what everybody’s been saying, I haven’t fought nobody.” When asked about surviving a shooting earlier in his life, he added: “I’m here for a reason, and God don’t make no mistakes.”
UFC president Dana White, making his debut as a boxing promoter at this level, hosted the proceedings. He initially drew laughs by playing down future crossover fights, saying: “I certainly hope not.” However, the mood soured when a journalist asked about the UFC’s anti-trust lawsuit and proposed changes to the Ali Act. White retorted: “If you wanna talk about that, set up an interview. This isn’t about me, it’s about these two guys. If you wanna be an a**hole… I get that you wanna showboat…”
