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Las Vegas, of course, is no stranger to big boxing matches, but all sorts of history was still made Saturday in Sin City.
The Terence Crawford–Canelo Alvarez match at Allegiant Stadium, one in which Crawford claimed the unified super middleweight title, drew an announced attendance of 70,482—representing by far the largest crowd ever to see a boxing match in Las Vegas in the city’s long run as a center for the sport.
The figure shattered a state record of 29,214 set in 1982 for a Larry Holmes–Gerry Cooney heavyweight match at a temporary outdoor venue at Caesars Palace, and it also represents the biggest crowd to see any event at the five-year-old Allegiant Stadium.
The gate revenue of $47.2 million was also the third-largest figure in boxing history, trailing only a 2015 bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao and a 2017 fight between Mayweather and Conor McGregor.
“It was an incredible weekend for our company and a great weekend for the city,” said UFC president Dana White, who co-promoted the event to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We brought over 70,000 people to the city this weekend. I’m tired of all the ‘Las Vegas is hurting’ talk. Tonight was incredible.”
Bigger Picture
Beyond the raw turnout, there are other far-reaching implications. This was the first major boxing card produced by White and Saudi Arabia-based Turki Alalshikh and the Riyadh Season he oversees. The pair, along with UFC parent company TKO Group Holdings, are developing a far more expansive presence in boxing.
The Crawford-Alvarez fight was also another major live event shown on Netflix as the streaming giant continues to expand its sports profile.
Elsewhere at TKO
World Wrestling Entertainment, also within the TKO umbrella along with UFC, said it will bring its signature event, WrestleMania, to Saudi Arabia in 2027. WrestleMania 43 will be staged in Riyadh, marking the first time the event will be held outside of North America.
“We deeply respect the legacy of WrestleMania and the global prestige it holds among wrestling fans around the world,” Alalshikh said. “As part of Riyadh Season in 2027, our vision is to elevate this iconic event to unprecedented heights.”
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