Will Donald Trump be at Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford?
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvaraz vs Terence Crawford is one of the biggest sporting events in recent US sporting history, and Donald Trump doesn’t often miss those.
‘The fight of the century’ takes place on September 13 in Las Vegas between Canelo and 'Bud', a result of promotional work by the president's friend and backer - Dana White.
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Taking place at the 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium, celebrities from across the world of sport and far beyond are expected to be in attendance to see two all-time pound-for-pound greats go head-to-head.
Canelo (62-2-2) is putting his super-middleweight belts on the line for the blockbuster showdown against the unbeaten Crawford (41-0, 31 KO) who’s jumped up two weight classes to make the fight happen.
The bout also pits a Mexican in Canelo against an American in Crawford, raising some political tension between the two countries, aided by Trump.
The 79-year-old has spent much of his first and second presidencies promising a wall between the countries, which has resumed construction.
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He’s also made derogatory remarks about Mexicans and imposed heavy tariffs on the country, and with thousands of their citizens expected to attend the fight, it begs the question, will Trump be there?
What has the White House said about Trump attending Canelo vs Crawford
So far the White House has given no official statement about Trump’s attendance, which suggests he won’t be at the Vegas bout.
His last sporting appearance was at the US Open men’s final which saw Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 on September 7.
On that occasion the White House confirmed his attendance two days before on September 5, so time is running out for any sort of announcement.
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Trump was invited by sponsors Rolex, and received a mixed reaction - initially cheers upon arrival when most seats were empty, before boos dominated when his image appeared on screen for the national anthem pre-match.
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The match was also delayed 48 minutes due to heightened security protocols as a result of his presence.
The US Open is held in Queens, New York, where Trump was born and grew up, and he previously attended multiple events before becoming an elected politician.
Furthermore, the White House has confirmed his attendance at a New York Yankees vs Detroit Tigers game on September 11, missing another opportunity to comment on his September 13 schedule.
Why Donald Trump could attend Canelo vs Crawford
One of the main reasons Trump may attend is due to his relationship with the fight’s promoter - Dana White.
The UFC president and CEO is one of the most influential people in world sport, and has ventured into boxing with a bang, tying down these two elite talents for his first fight.
On top of that, White is a big Trump supporter, and invited him to UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden in November 2024, receiving a hero’s welcome ahead of his election win over Kamala Harris.
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Trump had attended multiple UFC events in the past, and is also in talks with White over an event that would be held at the White House.
Why Donald Trump may not attend Canelo vs Crawford
Given the proximity to the Mexican border, many from the south side are likely to attend despite Trump’s efforts to put up a wall between the countries.
In fact, Mexican support appears to have already outweighed that of the host nation, with Crawford having to comment on Canelo’s increased support from his countrymen.
“This ain't nothing different than when I went to Scotland and fought Ricky Burns,’’ he said.
“They're all going to be quiet come Saturday. I've been booed before. Hey, listen, they can't fight for him, so it don't matter.’’
Canelo himself has also criticised the president in the past, saying before a fight against Amir Khan: "I don't want to get involved in political issues, but it hurts and it offends.
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"I want him to understand that when I go out running, I see a lot of my countrymen working hard in the fields.
"They've not come here to rob and steal. We want to show him that we Mexicans come here to succeed and to be victorious."
Which sporting events has Donald Trump attended?
Trump has been a regular at sporting events during both of his presidencies, and even before them, as well as in between.
The aforementioned US Open was a regular haunt before he entered politics, while he’s been present at many of the country’s other top sports, namely baseball and football.
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In fact, in February 2025 he attended the Super Bowl where the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
Reactions have often been mixed, with UFC 295 seeing him particularly popular among MMA fans, while a World Series Game 5 tie between the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros saw him booed throughout in DC.