Canelo Álvarez plans to renew his deal with Turki Alalshikh after his March fight, trainer Eddy Reynoso says. His decision win over Christian Mbilli may have strengthened the case for another deal, which would keep Saudi backing in play for a Terence Crawford rematch.
“It’s the last one [the fight in March], but we’re going to renew. There are very good plans for Saúl. He already spoke with Turki, and there are good plans to continue his career,” said Reynoso, in comments to La Afición translated and shared by EverythingBoxing’s Darshan Desai.
What Turki Could Get From Another Deal
Some fans saw the Mbilli win as Canelo’s best performance since he stopped Caleb Plant in 2021. Canelo still fought in bursts, but he had to keep finding clean shots against an unbeaten contender who pressed him for 12 rounds. That gave Alalshikh a fresh performance to judge alongside Canelo’s name and drawing power. Reynoso gave no indication of how much the win figured in their talks.
Crawford offers the biggest commercial reason to renew. The first fight gives the promotion an obvious question to sell. Can Canelo reverse the result? Saudi backing helped make the first fight happen, and a renewed deal would give Canelo a direct route back to the same financier. The boxing problem remains. Crawford could still use his jab and reach to score from outside and make Canelo follow him. Beating Mbilli, who came forward, tells us little about how Canelo would close distance on Crawford.
Hamzah Sheeraz offers a different kind of event at 168 pounds. His British following gives the promotion a second market, and his height and reach give it something to sell beyond Canelo’s name. Sheeraz has less experience at that level, though. Compare that with IBF champion Osleys Iglesias, a dangerous southpaw whose belt gives Canelo a sporting reason to fight him. Sheeraz gives Alalshikh an easier fight to market, especially if the aim is to put on an event that can draw in Britain as well as with Canelo’s audience.
A return to 175 pounds would open up two more fights. Dmitry Bivol already beat Canelo, so a rematch comes with a result to avenge and a clear question about whether Canelo can get past Bivol’s jab and footwork. Artur Beterbiev would be a first-time opponent. The sell there is whether Canelo can hold his ground against a naturally bigger puncher who can force him to work at a pace he would rather set himself. Both fights depend on Canelo being willing to go back up to light heavyweight.
Reynoso named no opponents for an extension and gave no terms. If the deal goes through, Crawford would offer the biggest event, while Sheeraz would give Alalshikh a way to build one around Canelo at 168. Bivol and Beterbiev only enter the picture if Canelo wants another fight at 175.
For Canelo’s camp, Crawford, 39, is the ideal financial play with almost zero physical danger. He is a smaller guy who relied on running, movement, and potshots to nick rounds. He was never going to walk Canelo down or smash him up. There is zero wear and tear on Canelo’s body in that matchup compared to getting in the trenches with a relentless slugger or moving back up to 175.
If Crawford came out on the back foot the first time, a full year sitting on the couch is not going to turn him into a pressure fighter. Ring rust makes guys even more defensive. If he gets pried out of retirement by a massive Saudi check, he will likely double down on the track shoes, look to survive on points from the outside, and avoid any inside trade.
For Reynoso and Canelo, it represents a massive payday without the physical toll. The only hurdle is whether Turki actually wants to cough up another nine-figure purse to finance a fight that already lacked real fireworks.