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17 September 2025

Daily Newsletter

17 September 2025

Crawford-Canelo bout proves major viewership draw for Netflix

The Zuffa Boxing promotion's debut fight card drew 41 million global viewers.

Alex Donaldson September 16 2025

Netlfix, the global streaming giant, has announced that its coverage of the recent boxing superfight between Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez drew 41 million global viewers.

The streamer has called the September 13 fight the “most-viewed men’s championship boxing match” of the 21st century, adding that, while live, it drew an average minute audience (AMA) of 36.6 million, with additional viewership across the weekend contributing to the 41 million figure.

In the US alone, the AMA sat at 20.3 million, putting it on a par with the recent season opening NFL games, and peaking at 24 million concurrent livestreams.

This figure is further bolstered by the estimated 500,000 viewers in commercial establishments suggested by Joe Hand Promotions, the business that managed the fight’s commercial establishment rights distribution.

Crawford defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision after 12 rounds of the hotly anticipated contest, becoming undisputed super middleweight world champion in the process, and maintaining his 42-0 undefeated streak.

Both fighters are significant draws, with Crawford sitting in the top three of most boxing pound-for-pound rankings, and Canelo a long-time PPV draw with massive fights against the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Gennady Golovkin, Dmitry Bivol, and Amir Khan under his belt, as well as a strong following in his home of Mexico.

The event, staged at Las Vegas, Nevada’s Allegiant Stadium, drew a gate receipt of $47 million, the third highest in the sport’s history (and the highest without the involvement of Floyd Mayweather Jr.), and an attendance of 72,000 at the venue, becoming the most attended boxing event in US history.

All of these figures serve as a major win for the Zuffa Boxing enterprise, established by a partnership between combat sports giant TKO Group and Saudi Arabian events company Sela.

Crawford vs Canelo was Zuffa Boxing’s first event and the heavy presence of the organization’s co-founder Turki Alalshikh, a prominent boxing power broker and the chair of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, suggests future fights may be making their way to the Middle East, while Zuffa Boxing chief executive Dana White will likely look to implement a similar promotional style to the UFC promotion.

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