Jake Paul will not fight Canelo Alvarez (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
and Canelo Alvarez will not be stepping into the ring together in May after the Mexican snubbed the YouTuber.
Alvarez has instead signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, which includes a September showdown with Terence Crawford. The news broke that Alvarez has chosen a different path, planning to fight an unknown opponent in Saudi Arabia in May before facing Crawford in Las Vegas in the autumn. He is then set to have two more fights in Saudi Arabia next year. Crawford, on the other hand, will not fight until he faces Alvarez.
Boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh announced the news, stating: “Don’t mess with the lion … 4 fights for Canelo with Riyadh Season … The Deal is done … A Lion doesn’t lose sleep over opinion of a sheep… Fear the lion not the jungle.” Now, Paul finds himself without an opponent for his return to the ring after promoter Eddie Hearn had claimed the bout with Alvarez was a “done deal”.
‘The Problem Child’ hasn’t fought since defeating former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson back in November, winning on points against the 58 year old. Reports of a showdown with Canelo began to circulate after ESPN Knockout analyst Julius Julianis surprisingly claimed that the two boxing stars had agreed a deal to meet in May.
These reports led ‘The Problem Child’ to announce his own date on social media, which now appears to have been a diversion. He posted on X: “It’s time. Saturday July 5. New York, New York.” Paul has a history of challenging Canelo, sending a message to the Mexican fighter after his win over Ryan Bourland.
“Canelo, stop ducking. I know you want it. I’m repping Puerto Rico and you’re repping Mexico, so it’s Puerto Rico vs Mexico. I want all the biggest names, I’m the face of this sport, who is doing more for boxing than me? The most-followed boxer and most viral KO’s, period,” he declared.
Alvarez himself has previously confessed on The Full Send Podcast that he would only contemplate fighting the 28 year old when he is “done with boxing.” ‘Saul’ stated: “When I’m done with boxing [at the highest level], why not? Yeah, maybe. I think it’s good because it brings fans who don’t normally watch boxing. They know Jake Paul, but they don’t know anything about boxing. Maybe [I’ll take the Paul fight].”