Terence Crawford appears to be definitely aiming to beat Canelo Alvarez, but the elite pound-for-pound fighter and undefeated four-division champion can’t deny that he’s a target, too.

Last week, WBA junior middleweight champion Crawford (41-0, 31 KO) was summoned by former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor to take part in the dual boxing-MMA series, via social media wunderkind Ryan Garcia during the mandatory fight Crawford earned in fight against WBO/WBC 154-pound champion Sebastian Fundora, emerges.

Both McGregor and Crawford have expressed interest from Saudi Arabian boxing broker Turki Alalshikh in organizing a two-fight MMA boxing series between the pair.

McGregor said in a video blog in which Crawford told him: “I don’t feel like taking a kick.”

Crawford replied: “I’m not going into any octagon, so you can start kicking and elbowing me. We would make a lot of money, but (McGregor) isn’t going to kick me.”

McGregor took part in the second most lucrative pay-per-view fight of all time in 2017 when he was stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather Jr.

McGregor, 36, has not fought in the UFC since suffering a second straight loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021, and the push for him to fight Michael Chandler was marred by injuries and drug testing requirements.

He previously tried to box with recent International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee Manny Pacquiao.

“Conor McGregor is basically a combat sports prostitute – you can kick his ass whenever you want and he’ll let you kick his ass. He’s committed to it,” former welterweight boxing champion and McGregor’s former sparring partner Paulie Malignaggi said on Thursday’s edition of ProBox TV’s “Top Stories.”

“I’m starting to wonder if there’s sadism, masochism in it: he likes it as long as he gets paid.”

Mentioning Crawford’s name is a risky endeavor, former 140-pound champion Chris Algieri told Top Stories.

“Crawford is much meaner than Mayweather. With his killer instinct, he will really hurt you. And he is the No. 1 busy player on a pound-for-pound basis,” Algieri said.

Malignaggi said McGregor was demeaning his sport by rushing to get involved in such a one-sided ring scandal.

– Aren’t you ashamed, buddy? Malignaggi asked, calling McGregor’s proposal a “clown show.”

Meanwhile, Algieri described Crawford’s lack of interest in the MMA side as shrewd.

“Terence obviously got kicked… if he did one (fight) in the ring and one in the cage, as long as he did the one in the ring first… because Terence will kick (McGregor’s) ass,” Algieri said.

The request to suspend Garcia, who was sued in Up-to-date York last week by his April 20 opponent Devin Haney, is off the table, Algieri theorizes, because Crawford is clearly looking for an opponent who will inspire him to train furiously while also seeking a record sum as his career comes to an end end at the age of 37.

Meanwhile, Fundora is a fascinating foe because the fight could take place in early winter and a victory would make Crawford a three-belt junior-middleweight champion one victory shy of becoming the first three-time undisputed champion of the four-belt era.

Crawford on Monday asked for a 10-day extension of the negotiation period with Fundora, which will end around Oct. 12 around the undisputed airy heavyweight championship fight between Russian Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.

Alvarez has expressed interest in a rematch with Bivol, who defeated him by unanimous decision, in 2022. If Beterbiev wins, it’s unclear whether Alvarez will want that fight or a cash grab with the much lighter Crawford, the favorite fighter of the enriched Alalshikh.

A trip to Fundora now seems perfect for Crawford.

“It’s a winnable fight,” Malignaggi said. “You see a path to build on. Suddenly (the undisputed champion again) starts to look more realistic, and the legacy comes with a substantial reward.”

Should he defeat Fundora, Crawford would only be missing the IBF belt in the October 19 fight between former champion Tim Tszyu and recent IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev.

And unlike Canelo Alvarez, who will choose who he fights next, “Terence Crawford is at the controls” along with others.

For Crawford, the best thing for the sport will be to stay at 154 pounds, either rule the division after doing so at 140 pounds and welterweight, or allow Oct. 19 favorite Tszyu to replace Crawford because he offers the ability to carry “superstar potential” into a recent generation. “

ESPN is excited to offer an inside look at the world of boxing with its fresh original series, “The Fight Life.” Produced by ESPN in association with Words + Pictures and Top Rank, the five-episode series chronicles Top Rank’s annual boxing world from five of the sport’s top fighters – Tyson Fury, Naoya Inoue, Seniesa Estrada, Teofimo Lopez and Josh Taylor. The unprecedentedly available “The Fight Life” follows boxers as they prepare for the biggest fights of their careers, while documenting the traveling circus of the sports industry.

When will “The Fight Life” air?

The first episode will premiere on Monday.

How can fans watch the show?

Episodes will debut on ESPN+with further broadcasts on ESPN2. Fans can get more information on the show’s streaming hub.

Episode descriptions

It premieres on ESPN+ on October 7 and airs on ESPN2 on October 9 at 6 p.m. ET.

Tyson Fury is preparing for a fight with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, which is to determine the first undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing in 25 years. After a near-defeat to MMA star Francis Ngannou, the “Gypsy King” must prove he still holds the heavyweight throne. Go behind the scenes with Top Rank executives and matchmakers as they shape the business of boxing.

Premiering on ESPN+ on October 8 and airing on ESPN2 on October 16 at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Teofimo Lopez is preparing for a career-defining fight with current WBO junior welterweight world champion Josh Taylor. After several needy performances, including losing the lightweight crown to George Kambosos Jr., the top brass is questioning whether the radiant Lopez still has what it takes. Once considered the future of boxing, Lopez has one last chance to prove that he is still one of the sport’s most exalted talents.

It premieres on ESPN+ on October 9 and airs on ESPN2 on October 16 at 11 p.m. ET.

After losing the WBO belt to Teofimo Lopez, Josh Taylor must face the question: how many more chances will he have to fight at the top of this discipline? Age and injuries have begun to plague the former undisputed champion, but his path to regaining his junior welterweight title begins with a rematch with former rival Jack Catterall. It’s a fight that, according to top executives, will have an impact on Taylor’s future in the sport.

Premiering on ESPN+ on October 10 and airing on ESPN2 on October 16 at 11:30 p.m. ET.

Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada has dreamed of becoming the undisputed world champion and she finally has a chance to face fellow unified champion Yokasta Valle. Estrada is a pioneer in women’s boxing, but to become the first-ever undisputed minimumweight world champion, she must overcome injury and the mental pressure of settling a personal score with her former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

Premiering on ESPN+ on October 11 and airing on ESPN2 on October 22 at 12:30 p.m. ET

Many experts consider Naoya “Monster” Inoue to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, and to top executives who have been in the industry for decades, one of the best fighters they have ever seen. But for many Western fans, the undefeated Japanese star is the best fighter you’ve never heard of. The undisputed junior featherweight champion could make a worldwide statement when he faces the most hated figure in Japanese boxing, Luis Nery, in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 50,000 at the world-famous Tokyo Dome.

How can fans access more boxing content from ESPN?

Check out the ESPN boxing hub for the latest news, analysis, rankings, schedules and more.

Jai Opetaia gives the advantage to WBA lithe heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol in his fight against undefeated knockout machine Artur Beterbiev in eight days on October 12. IBF cruiserweight champion Opetaia admits that he is a fan of Bivol (23-0, 12 KO) and would like to fight him or Beterbiev in the future.

Opetaia (25-0, 19 KO) defends his IBF title against Jack Massey on the Beterbiev-Bivol card in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. His immediate goal is to win all the cruiserweight titles against other champions, but if the winner of Beterbiev vs. Bivol is moving up, he would like to fight them.

“It’s boxing. I have been involved with this sport all my life. I believe I can beat anyone in this ring,” said Jai Opetaia Queensberry about how he measured Artur Beterbiev. You just have to fight intelligent and do the right things. I believe that with my skills I can do it against any player.”

Opetaia would have a better chance of defeating Bivol due to his power and size advantage. Bivol is the boxer who forced Opetaia into a boxing match. He would have a good chance of winning such a fight. Beterbiev would be more challenging for Opetai because he fights from the inside, which is an area where he is delicate.

Opetaia is a type of fighter who throws potshots from the outside and dives to deliver single blows. This style would not work against Beterbiev, who would force an internal fight and chop Opetaia.

“He’s the perfect forward fighter against a boxer who cuts at an angle,” Opetaia said of the Beterbiev vs. Bivol. “I’m leaning more towards Bivol because I’m more of a fan of his. I love his style. It’s going to be a good fight. I’m really interested in this.”

Of the two 175-pound champions, Beterbiev will most likely move up to the cruiserweight division to challenge Opetai, but only if he wins over Bivol. If he loses, Beterbiev will want a rematch and he will get it if His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is interested in watching their fight again.

“Of course I will. I will always fight in the evenings and judge everyone since I was an amateur, when I was shooting tournaments,” Opetaia said when asked about his thoughts on a potential fight with Beterbiev or Bivol. “It’s something in the future that could easily happen.

“It’s one of those megafights that builds a profile. I have to do my job and mind my own business. The winner of this fight will be huge. It’s definitely possible, but right now my only focus is on winning the cruiserweight belts. But if such opportunities arise, I will definitely take advantage of them,” Opetaia said about his interest in fighting the winner of the Beterbiev vs. fight. Bivol.

It’s understandable why Opetaia is judging Beterbiev after hearing about his interest in fighting him. It would be foolish for Opetaia to assume that he will win because he is bigger than him, because he is not as talented as him or prepared for internal combat. I’ll say it again: Opetaia only fights with potshots and doesn’t know how to fight in close combat.