Canelo Alvarez is set to challenge for the WBC super-middleweight world title next month in an attempt to regain the 168lb throne. Should he be successful, a ‘firefight’ could be waiting for him.

Terence Crawford brought an end to Canelo’s reign as the undisputed super-middleweight world champion 12 months ago, but ‘Bud’ retired shortly after the win and the belts were subsequently reassigned, whilst Canelo was sidelined through injury.

On Halloween, Canelo seeks to dethrone one of those new champions as he collides with WBC titleholder Christian Mbilli, atop a mammoth ‘Mexico vs. The World’ bill in Riyadh, which already features three world title bouts.

On the Mr Versace Podcastreigning WBO super-middleweight world champion Hamzah Sheeraz shared his keenness for a unification clash against the Mexican superstar, if he is able to get the better of Mbilli.

“Absolutely, [I want Canelo if he beats Mbilli]. Listen, I have got to keep doing my thing, keep winning, keep putting on big performances, moving forwards and he has got to do the same.

“He is a legend of the sport. If the fight happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I will continue to be the best version of myself that I could be, but yeah it would be an absolute honour to share the ring with him.

“I think that it would be a firefight, for sure.”

Canelo-Mbilli is set for October 31. Sheeraz has been ordered to take on his mandatory challenger Janibek Alimkhanuly next in order to avoid being stripped of his world title, with a purse bid hearing scheduled for this Wednesday, September 16.

Crawford sat ringside in Las Vegas, backed Benn to score the upset, watched Ryan destroy Benn in two rounds, and immediately had to backtrack. If Crawford was truly content in retirement, he would have congratulated him once or simply ignored the Ariel Helwani interview. Instead, his fingers are glued to X, trying to trade insults.

Crawford knows how the modern business works. He saw the check he got for Canelo, and he knows Turki Alalshikh has the checkbook to make another life-changing offer if the public demands it. Without Canelo or Ryan, Crawford has no viable nine-figure options left. Nobody is going to bankroll a Crawford return against Richardson, Hitchins, or Shakur Stevenson. Ryan is the golden goose right now.

By continuously pushing Ryan’s buttons and keeping it going, Crawford is keeping himself in the headlines and angling for Turki to step in with an ungodly sum to make the fight happen. He wants to pretend Ryan is beneath him, but every tweet proves he is waiting by the phone.

The strategy is obvious. Crawford knows Turki monitors social media traffic closely and loves putting together fights with massive name recognition. If Crawford can bait Ryan into demanding the fight publicly, Turki might cut the check just to deliver a blockbuster pay-per-view spectacle.

The problem for Crawford is that Ryan holds all the cards. Ryan does not need Crawford to sell out an arena or generate massive pay-per-view numbers. He could fight Haney again, face Teofimo, or even go after Gervonta Davis. Crawford, on the other hand, has zero alternative options that pay this kind of money. If Turki decides he would rather see Ryan against someone active, Crawford’s social media campaign falls completely flat, leaving him retired on the couch with empty pockets.

Filip Hrgovic could be on the verge of securing a major opportunity after claiming his IBF title with a stunning ninth-round finish over Moses Itauma.

The pair squared off last month, with many expecting Itauma to become the youngest world heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson dethroned Trevor Berbick in 1986.

It then appeared as though such predictions would be proved accurate, as the 21-year-old scored a second-round knockdown and generally outclassed his opponent with speed and movement.

That was until Itauma completely emptied his gas tank and Hrgovic, in response, managed to gather enough energy to stop the prodigy on his feet.

As a result, the Croatian has placed himself in the shop window for unification matches and lucrative paydays, but must first defend his belt against IBF mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez.

Should he emerge triumphant, Hrgovic may then explore a potential clash with Rico Verhoeven, who has been named by Turki Alalshikh as a worthy challenger.

The former kickboxing champion entered his second professional boxing match in May and, despite suffering an 11th-round stoppage defeathe was widely credited with giving Oleksandr Usyk one of his toughest assignments.

Since then, Verhoeven has been placed at No.8 by the WBC while, at this stage, the remaining three sanctioning bodies are yet to rank him.

According to reporter Mike Coppingerthough, Saudi boxing chief Alalshikh has named Hrgovic-Verhoeven as one of seven fights he is eager to make.

Big-time fights @Turki_alalshikh tells me are on his wishlist to make:

Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua

Jai Opetaia-David Benavidez

Shakur Stevenson-Devin Haney

Naoya Inoue-Bam Rodriguez

Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez rematch

Filip Hrgovic-Rico Verhoeven

Crawford-Ryan Garcia pic.twitter.com/4dJhvFfUAW

— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) September 13, 2026

The remainder of the boxing world, meanwhile, would perhaps rather see Hrgovic face one of his fellow champions, whether it be Agit Kabayel, Murat Gassiev or the winner of Daniel Dubois vs Fabio Wardley 2.