His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, the most sought-after matchmaker in boxing, has managed to orchestrate some of the most anticipated bouts in recent history.

Bringing together rival promoters and fighters under one roof is no easy task, but Alalshikh has succeeded where many others have failed.

From “Queensberry vs Matchroom – 5 vs 5” to the historic “Ring of Fire” event that crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in over 25 years, Alalshikh has consistently delivered for boxing fans. However, one fighter continues to resist his influence—Canelo Alvarez.

The Mexican boxing star Canelo Alvarez made headlines recently with his refusal to engage in a potential matchup against Terence Crawford, proposed for February next year. When asked about the fight, Canelo had a blunt response: “He needs to do it my way, and not his way.” He further expressed his displeasure with Alalshikh’s approach, stating, “I respect everybody but I don’t like the way [Alalshikh] talks… I didn’t ask for this fight.”

This response didn’t sit well with Alalshikh, who swiftly pulled the Crawford fight off the table and publicly criticized Canelo for prioritizing “easy show-only fights.” Taking to social media, Alalshikh wrote, “I knew he was wasting our time and making excuses with big amounts of money that can’t be paid,” effectively shutting down any prospects of organizing a Canelo event in Saudi Arabia.

Adding fuel to the fire, Canelo’s former promoter Oscar De La Hoya took the opportunity to lambast the Mexican superstar during his weekly ‘Clap Back Thursdays’ segment. De La Hoya accused Canelo of pricing himself out of fights with elite contenders like David Benavidez and Terence Crawford and echoed Alalshikh’s sentiments about Canelo’s reluctance to negotiate.

In a scathing video message posted on X, De La Hoya said, “So it turns out I’m not the only one who thinks Canelo is an arrogant piece of sh*t. Turki Alalshikh recently revealed that Canelo refused to meet with him and isn’t entertaining any deals to be done with him. Why? Because he’s outpriced himself so much that the Saudis don’t even want to deal with him.” De La Hoya didn’t stop there, further criticizing Canelo’s upcoming fight against Edgar Berlanga on September 14.

De La Hoya predicted that Canelo’s bout against Berlanga would struggle to gain traction due to its competition with the massive UFC 306 event at the Las Vegas Sphere. The UFC’s “Noche” event, celebrating Mexican Independence Day, is expected to draw significant attention, particularly with the backing of Turki Alalshikh as part of the deal signed between the UFC and Riyadh Season. De La Hoya speculated that this rivalry could be detrimental to Canelo’s fight, saying, “They’re going up against the UFC’s debut at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Now that’s a spectacle that everyone and their mother have been waiting to see since it opened up about a year ago, and who is funding it and making it all happen Canelo? Turki Alalshikh. You are really making the wrong enemies.”

He also mocked Canelo for choosing fights “nobody wants to see,” insinuating that Alvarez is dodging high-stakes bouts with fighters like Benavidez to protect his legacy.

The tension between Oscar De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez has been simmering for months, with the animosity between them reaching new heights during the lead-up to Canelo’s fight against Jaime Munguia in May. During the final press conference for the bout, De La Hoya didn’t hold back, firing shots at Canelo and airing grievances that had been building since Canelo’s departure from Golden Boy Promotions in 2020.

“Golden Boy built Canelo Alvarez, period,” De La Hoya declared, staring directly at Canelo. “The company you fought under for decades has always had one name and it’s mine. So put some f***ing respect on it.” De La Hoya also reminded the audience that Golden Boy Promotions stood by Canelo during the controversial clenbuterol scandal ahead of his fight against Gennady Golovkin in 2018.

https://x.com/OscarDeLaHoya/status/1821705832675061966

As the war of words continues, it’s clear that the bitterness between Canelo Alvarez, Turki Alalshikh, and Oscar De La Hoya shows no signs of resolving anytime soon. With the former promoter and matchmaker both openly criticizing Canelo’s choices, the Mexican star finds himself at the center of a heated dispute that could have long-term implications for his career. Whether this tension will impact Canelo’s future in the ring remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—the boxing world will be watching closely as this drama unfolds.