Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez nearly fought Jake Paul. The Mexican superstar signed a deal with Riyadh Season instead, putting an end to talks with the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
Canelo, the 34-year-old from Guadalajara, holds the WBC, WBA, and WBO super middleweight titles. He's dominated the 168-pound division since becoming undisputed champion by beating Caleb Plant in 2021.
Jake Paul, known as 'The Problem Child', has won 11 of his 12 professional fights. His last bout was a victory over Mike Tyson in an 8-round clash at AT&T; Stadium in Texas last November.
Rumors swirled about a potential matchup between the four-weight world champion and the internet sensation. Those rumors came to an abrupt end when Canelo inked a four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season. The agreement includes three fights in Saudi Arabia and one in Las Vegas.
Paul didn't take the news well. He lashed out at Canelo, claiming the Mexican pulled out of negotiations at the last minute.
Canelo addressed the potential Paul fight during an appearance on The Breakfast Club. When asked how long the fight would last, he said:
"Not that Long. Maybe [first round], not long."
He also hinted at the possibility of toying with Paul during the fight:
"Yeah [I might play with him a little], I think people would enjoy it."
Canelo's next fight will be in May, with the opponent yet to be announced. Later in the year, he's expected to face Terence Crawford in Las Vegas as part of his new deal.
The Mexican champion has been a force in boxing since 2020, winning world titles in four weight classes. Paul, on the other hand, started his professional boxing career in 2020 and has faced several high-profile opponents, including former MMA fighters and most recently, Mike Tyson.
