Jorge Masvidal believes a boxing fight with Canelo would have been a mega event
Jorge Masvidal has claimed that a potential boxing match with Canelo Álvarez would have been one of the biggest crossover fights in combat sports history. Speaking about missed opportunities during the peak years of both fighters’ careers, Masvidal suggested the bout could have shattered gate and revenue records had it materialised.
Masvidal referenced the period around 2019 and 2020, when he held the BMF title and was one of the UFC’s biggest stars, while Canelo was already established as boxing’s leading pay-per-view attraction. According to Masvidal, discussions and ideas were circulating at the time, but the fight ultimately never moved beyond speculation.
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Timing, titles, and the crossover factor
Masvidal’s argument rests heavily on timing. In 2019, he enjoyed a breakout year, headlined major events, and became a mainstream name following high-profile wins and viral moments. Canelo, meanwhile, was drawing massive audiences and headlining sold-out arenas, making him one of the most bankable fighters in boxing.
A crossover boxing match between the two would have leaned heavily on star power rather than competitive balance. Canelo has never competed professionally in mixed martial arts, while Masvidal’s boxing experience, though solid by MMA standards, would have placed him at a technical disadvantage against an elite boxer. Even so, crossover bouts have historically been driven by narrative, personalities, and commercial appeal rather than pure sporting logic.
Masvidal believes that having both fighters holding symbolic or promotional “belts” at the same time added to the appeal. While such titles do not carry official sanctioning weight across sports, they often serve as marketing tools that help sell large events to casual audiences.
Ultimately, the fight never happened, and the window for a prime-versus-prime matchup has likely closed. Still, Masvidal’s comments highlight how close combat sports came to another blockbuster crossover during a period when both fighters commanded enormous attention in their respective disciplines.
Whether the bout would have lived up to the hype inside the ring is open to debate, but in terms of visibility and financial potential, Masvidal’s belief that it could have been a mega fight is not difficult to understand.
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