Eddie Hearn is refusing to rule out an unlikely showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul in the future.
Paul has been calling out boxing’s biggest star, Canelo for most of his four-year professional career and once again reiterated his desire to face the Mexican superstar this week.
The YouTube sensation-turned-boxer faces Ryan Bourland this Saturday on the undercard of Amanda Serrano’s homecoming in Puerto Rico and feels a clash is closer than ever, despite Alvarez previously showing little desire to face the boxing novice.
“I think it will happen at some point,” the 27-year-old American told reporters on Wednesday.
“I’ve been talking about that for a couple of years now.
“It makes sense. He’s coming to the end of his career where he’s gonna want to make a lot of money.”
Earlier this week, Alvarez reportedly ended his deal with Premier Boxing Champions [PBC], one fight into a three-fight deal, after failing to agree terms for a May 4 defence of his undisputed super middleweight titles in Las Vegas.
The 33-year-old could now be headed back to Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, who have promoted six of his last eight bouts, for clashes with Jaime Munguia and Edgar Berlanga.
The Matchroom boss was asked about a meeting between Alvarez and Paul and feels the four-weight world champion could be up for a fight with ‘The Problem Child’ in the future providing the deal was right.
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“I think he’d find it quite amusing,” Hearn told IFLTV.
“I’d like to see it, but I think he’s got a few serious things to take care of first.
“But if the deal is right for Saul, I wouldn’t rule it out him just turning up and having a laugh with it.
“I’d love that.”
Paul suffered his first professional defeat last February when he was outpointed by Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia.
The Cleveland native bounced back with a victory over former UFC star Nate Diaz in August and closed off 2023 with a showreel first round knockout of Andre August.
Saturday’s opponent, Bourland has won 17 of his 19 professional fights, but only four of those victories were against fighters with winning records and Hearn insists Paul must improve his level of opposition if he’s to stand any chance of securing a shock clash with Alvarez.
“I just feel like Jake needs to fight someone in the top thousand in the world or something like that,” the 44-year-old added.
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“I will say, I watched Jake on the pads.
“I know obviously people can look good on the pads, but I think he’s quite heavy handed and he’s been boxing for a while now.
“So I do give him props for working hard in the gym.
“Obviously, the Canelo fight is a step too far.
“He just needs to fight a real fighter and I think he could beat somebody.
“Who knows in this crazy world.”
