UFC chief executive Dana White has once again seized the wheel of boxing’s most talked-about matchup, confirming at UFC 316 that he will promote the September 13 super-middleweight clash between undisputed champion Canelo Álvarez and three-division ruler Terence “Bud” Crawford.
White’s return ends a brief, confusing detour that saw Saudi-backed Sela announced as lead promoter despite lacking a U.S. license. Asked about Saudi powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, White shrugged, “I’m promoting the fight,” dismissing any notion of shared control and noting the sport’s habit of silent deal-making: “They don’t say shit. Nobody talks.”
With the UFC’s own Noche card now off Mexican-Independence weekend, White is free to steer Álvarez-Crawford back to Las Vegas. Insiders say the preferred site remains Allegiant Stadium, though a UNLV football date that same night must be resolved; the ever-familiar T-Mobile Arena stands ready as Plan B.
Broadcast rights appear equally fluid. White’s TKO Boxing arm has the leverage of WWE’s existing Netflix partnership, making the streamer a prime candidate after its colossal viewership for Jake Paul–Mike Tyson. Should those talks stall, DAZN lurks as the fallback home for a bout expected to command a global audience.
For now, White promises only one certainty: when every moving piece finally locks in, “I’ll let you guys know.”
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