Angel Reese greets Terence Crawford before Canelo Alvarez bout amid Chicago Sky saga
The WNBA forward visited Crawford in his locker room at Allegiant Stadium ahead of Alvarez's undisputed middleweight title defense while still facing questions from her team situation in Chicago.
Angel Reese visited Terence Crawford in his locker room before Crawford's highly anticipated fight against Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 13, 2025, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, posing for a photo that showed Reese towering over the former lightweight champion. The bout, streamed live on Netflix as part of Turki Alalshikh's "Riyadh Season," was for Alvarez's undisputed middleweight title.
Crawford, who moved up three weight classes for the fight, and Alvarez have both ranked among the world's pound-for-pound best in recent years, making the matchup one of the most-watched boxing events of the season. Reese's appearance at the arena and her pre-fight encounter with Crawford drew attention because she remains embroiled in an ongoing situation with the WNBA's Chicago Sky.
Reese was suspended for one half of a Sky game after comments she made to the Chicago Tribune that the team described as "detrimental to the team." In that interview Reese said she would not be "settling for the same s--t we did this year," and acknowledged she might do "what's best for me" if conditions did not change. After serving the brief suspension, she did not enter the Sky's final three games of the season; the team listed her with a back injury for those contests.
Sky head coach Jeff Pagliocca characterized Reese as "an ascending young talent in this league who’s had two very, very good seasons here in Chicago." Pagliocca said the team had addressed the matter publicly and internally, noting, "I feel like we closed the chapter on it. She spoke to her teammates. She spoke publicly. We moved on as a team." He added that he maintains regular, productive conversations with Reese and her representatives.
Reese's presence at a marquee sporting event while under scrutiny from her professional team highlights the intersection of athlete branding and team dynamics in modern professional sports. The Sky's public statements framed the issue as resolved, while Reese's absence from late-season play and her earlier remarks left room for continued attention from fans and media.
The Alvarez-Crawford fight itself was framed as a crossover moment, with Crawford stepping up multiple weight classes and both fighters carrying high-profile resumes. The event formed part of a broader slate of international boxing shows promoted under the Riyadh Season banner and was distributed to a wide audience via streaming, amplifying visibility for attendees who included figures from other sports.
Reese's situation with the Sky predated the Las Vegas appearance and will remain a matter for the team and the player to manage in the offseason. Pagliocca's comments indicated the organization considers the episode closed for the moment, while noting ongoing dialogue with Reese and her camp. The Sky will move forward into the next season facing questions about roster composition and how it will address the concerns Reese raised publicly.
The immediate aftermath of the Alvarez-Crawford bout focused on the fight outcomes and the fighters' standing in boxing. Reese's appearance at the event served as a reminder of her rising profile beyond the WNBA court and underscored how high-profile cross-sport appearances can draw attention back to unresolved team matters.
No further disciplinary action by the Sky was announced in conjunction with Reese's Las Vegas appearance. The team and its coaching staff have emphasized internal communication and resolution as they prepare for the coming season.