Terence Crawford-Shawn Porter November 20th In Las Vegas?

With the WBO mandated purse bid for their World Welterweight title fight between champ Terence Crawford and former WBC titleholder Shawn Porter delayed due to a possible deal being imminent, a date and location for the proposed fight has surfaced, too.

Boxing insider Dan Rafael reported first for World Boxing News on Friday that he’s learned that Saturday night November 20th is the target date for Crawford-Porter with Las Vegas as the preferred location.

Here's the latest on #CrawfordPorter, the postponed purse bid, the negotiations, including when and where it will be if @trboxing promotes the fight, in my @WorldBoxingNews story: https://t.co/qqYRK5Ozkm #boxing @BobArum @terencecrawford @ShowtimeShawnP @BomacBrian @KornerMan44

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) September 2, 2021

Rafael spoke with Crawford’s promoter, for now, with Top Rank Boxing, Bob Arum. Crawford’s deal with the promotion is expected to expire after October, but Arum gave Rafael possible details for what we be Crawford’s probable final fight for Top Rank,

“We’ve been talking to the PBC guys without much movement, and (on Tuesday) they suggested that we go along with the extension with the idea that in good faith we will try to work out a deal,” Arum said of Premier Boxing Champions, whom TGB Promotions puts on events for. “It’s stupid to not work together and get this thing done….

“If we do it, we’ll do it Nov. 20 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas,”  

Arum cited Top Rank and PBC having worked together for a joint promotion/broadcast on the previous Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder WBC Heavyweight Title fight won by Fury in February 2020. Those two are also working together for the Fury-Wilder rematch re-scheduled for October 9th.

And, as for November 20th, that would be two weeks after PBC and Fox Sports will offer the Undisputed Super Middleweight title fight on November 6th between Unified WBC/WBA/WBO titleholder, Canelo Alvarez, and IBF World Champ, Caleb Plant. That will be a PPV and in Las Vegas.

So, back to Crawford-Porter and if it is going to be for two weeks later, it’s unlikely that PBC will fire up a second PPV offering on their own. It’s more likely that ESPN, which has offered two previous Crawford fights on PPV will end up having to take the lead.

On Saturday a source told us at Big Fight Weekend that Mandalay Bay is only one option for the proposed Crawford-Porter fight in November in Vegas. The Virgin Hotel and Casino’s theater, where Top Rank has had previous fight cards and title fights this Spring and Summer televised on ESPN, could be the choice. That included the Josh Taylor Undisputed Jr. Lightweight title win over Jose Ramirez in late May being at the Virgin.

However, that theater is considerably smaller for attendance/live gate than the Mandalay Bay or other arenas, too.

Of course, all of his predicated on a deal being struck.

And, as we wrote last week, while the purse bid delay might indicate a deal being done, it’s no secret that Crawford (seen in happier times with Arum at top) is angry about Arum and Top Rank being unable to secure him a big time, mega fight with either Errol Spence or Manny Pacquiao over the last year and half. And, it’s obvious Crawford is about to test boxing promotional free agency after his next fight.

So, now, we wait for the deal to get to possibly get finalized as soon as this week, and it could be another significant fight gets crammed into 2021 before the end of the year.