Saturday night in Las Vegas has never looked quite like this. Fight fans around the globe are glued to their screens as two of the most accomplished boxers of the past two decades, Canelo Alvarez and Terence "Bud" Crawford, finally meet in a historic showdown at Allegiant Stadium. The stakes? Only Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight crown, a mountain of legacy, and a record-smashing live audience—plus, for the first time ever, a boxing event of this magnitude streaming live on Netflix at no extra cost to subscribers.
This September 13, 2025, is shaping up as a fight night for the ages. The main card kicked off at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, with anticipation building for the main event’s ring walks, expected just after midnight. Allegiant Stadium, home to the NFL’s Raiders, has been transformed to seat about 71,835 spectators, obliterating the previous Las Vegas attendance record for boxing. Tickets ranged from $400 to several thousand dollars, with luxury packages climbing into five figures—a testament to the immense pull of this matchup.
The intrigue isn’t just about the fighters’ skills or their contrasting styles. Canelo, 35, enters with a jaw-dropping record of 63-2-2 (39 KOs), the undisputed ruler at 168 pounds for years, defending his WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO belts. His opponent, Terence Crawford, 37, boasts a pristine 41-0 mark (31 KOs) and is taking an audacious leap: jumping up two full divisions to challenge for super middleweight supremacy after capturing his fourth world title at 154 pounds last year. The size gap is real, the stakes enormous, and the storylines compelling.
“It’s gonna be a great night, historic night of fighting,” UFC CEO Dana White told Ring Magazine, brimming with the excitement of a debut boxing promotion that’s already secured the third-largest gate in Las Vegas boxing history. White, who also booked Noche UFC 3 for the same night in San Antonio, Texas, orchestrated the schedule so fans could catch both events without missing a beat. “The main events, the main cards, will not cross over. You’ll be able to watch one right into the other.”
That’s no small feat, considering White’s usual hands-on approach to UFC events. Noche UFC 3, headlined by Diego Lopes and Jean Silva at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, started its main card at 6:00 PM Eastern Time. Meanwhile, the Canelo vs Crawford festivities in Las Vegas, 1,280 miles away, demanded White’s presence for his first-ever boxing promotion. With a three-hour flight separating the venues, it’s logistically impossible for White to attend both in person, but he’s betting big on his boxing debut—and so are the fans, with the world watching on Netflix.
Why Netflix? In a bold move that could reshape how boxing is consumed, the streaming giant is offering the entire Canelo vs Crawford event live and globally, included with every subscription. Gone is the hefty pay-per-view price tag that often kept casual fans at bay. With over 280 million subscribers worldwide, Netflix is banking on this fight drawing unprecedented viewership and global buzz. The stream, which began at 9:00 PM ET, features commentary in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German—making it accessible to a truly international audience.
The undercard delivered fireworks of its own. Fans tuning in early caught preliminary action starting at 5:30 PM ET on Netflix Tudum, featuring rising stars like Serhii Bohachuk vs Brandon Adams and Ivan Dychko vs Jermaine Franklin. The main card, stacked with talent, included Callum Walsh facing off against the undefeated Fernando Vargas Jr., Christian Mbilli battling Lester Martinez, and Mohammed Alakel taking on Travis Crawford. But make no mistake: the world’s eyes are fixed on the main event, where history could be rewritten.
Canelo’s dominance at 168 pounds is well-documented. Since conquering the division, he’s defended his titles with authority, generating record-breaking gates and cementing his status as boxing’s biggest star. For Crawford, revered as one of the sport’s most complete technicians, this bout offers a shot at becoming a three-division undisputed champion—a feat no male fighter has achieved in the four-belt era. Crawford’s ability to adapt mid-fight, switch stances, and finish opponents has made him a nightmare matchup for anyone, but the question lingers: can he overcome the natural size and power of Canelo?
Bookmakers narrowly favor Canelo, pointing to his granite chin, experience under the Las Vegas lights, and unblemished record at super middleweight. Yet, as many observers have noted, Crawford’s slick boxing and ring IQ could pose the stiffest test for the Mexican icon since his famed clash with Floyd Mayweather. If Canelo prevails, he’ll silence critics who claim he’s ducked the toughest challenges in recent years. If Crawford pulls off the upset, he’ll vault into the conversation for the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of his generation.
The spectacle extends beyond the ropes. The event is part of a multi-day festival orchestrated by Saudi adviser Turki al-Sheikh, whose influence has reshaped boxing’s economic landscape. Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, was instrumental in reviving the Canelo vs Crawford matchup after earlier talks fizzled out, securing Las Vegas as the battleground and collaborating closely with Dana White’s new Zuffa Boxing venture. The festival atmosphere includes public workouts, a WWE-AAA wrestling show, and even a UFC card—turning Mexican Independence Day weekend into a fight fan’s dream.
Financially, the stakes are sky-high. Canelo is expected to pocket around $150 million, including $80 million from Riyadh Season, while Crawford’s purse is set at $10 million. The Ring magazine’s specially commissioned championship strap, valued at $188,000, and the WBC’s ornate Nahui Huey Altepemeh commemorative belt are just some of the glittering prizes on the line, alongside a new ‘Crown Series’ championship ring set with nearly 10 carats of stones.
As the main event draws near, the tension is electric. Both fighters made weight, coming in under the 168-pound limit at Friday’s weigh-in. The Nevada Athletic Commission has appointed three judges to decide the outcome if the fight goes the distance. Across a combined 765 rounds, neither man has ever been knocked down or seriously hurt—so who will blink first?
For now, the action is ongoing. Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford are moments away from stepping through the ropes, with fans worldwide holding their breath. Will Canelo’s size, experience, and power prove too much for the daring challenger? Or will Crawford’s skill and audacity deliver a shock for the ages? One thing is certain: tonight, boxing history is being written in Las Vegas, and the world is watching every second.
