Canelo Alvarez has turned down the opportunity to face Jake Paul after having a remarkable last-minute change of heart.
For weeks Canelo had been linked to a September super fight with Terence Crawford, but appeared to put paid to those plans for a crossover clash with YouTube sensation-turned-boxer, Paul.
With Alvarez closing on a shock bout with the Cleveland man on May 3 and Ring Magazine announcing that a Canelo-Crawford clash was off, the Mexican four-weight world champion changed his mind late on Thursday, agreeing a four-fight deal with Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalashikh, according to ESPN.
The 34-year-old will return on May 3 in Saudi Arabia for a defence of his unified super middleweight titles against either Jermall Charlo or Bruno Surace, who stunned Jaime Munguia in December, before facing Crawford in Las Vegas in September.
“Canelo [will fight] in Riyadh in May,” Alalshikh said in a video posted on his social media.
“The big fight in the history of boxing [against Crawford] in September.
“Then two more fights in 2026.
“Don’t mess with the Lion.”
On Tuesday, Ring Magazine which is owned by Alalshikh, announced that Canelo vs Crawford would be staged on September 13 at the 65,000 seater Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.
According to ESPN, Alvarez’s third fight on his deal with Riyadh Season will be against either Chris Eubank Jr, Hamzah Sheeraz or a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who handed him just his second professional defeat in May 2022, while the fourth fight will also take place in Riyadh.
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The 34-year-old had previously been dismissive of Paul’s consistent callouts, but was almost persuaded to meet the 28-year-old on an event that would have been streamed by Netflix, which aired Paul’s record-breaking bout with Mike Tyson in November.
Crawford, 37, who will move up two weight classes for a showdown with Alvarez, is not expected to fight in the interim.
“I’m waiting on Canelo in September and going to shock the world in Riyadh Season!” Crawford posted on X.
