Well, that didn’t last a week.
In a surprising turn of events, the highly anticipated boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul was canceled shortly after its announcement earlier this week.
Initially slated for May 3 in Las Vegas, the bout would’ve been a significant milestone in Jake Paul’s boxing career, potentially adding a layer of legitimacy to his resume.
The fight involved Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, a 34-year-old boxer recognized for his accomplishments across multiple weight classes, and Jake Paul, a 28-year-old American content-creator-turned-fighter known for his controversial yet attention-grabbing incursion into professional boxing.
The cancellation stems from Alvarez signing a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, an entertainment initiative in Saudi Arabia. The agreement includes a fight in May, an apparent conflict with the Paul bout.
Another match outlined in the deal is against Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford in September at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The deal also encompasses two additional fights in Saudi Arabia scheduled for February and October 2026.
Chair of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Turki Alalshikh played a pivotal role in securing Alvarez’s commitment, stating:
“He (Alvarez) only fights real fighters,” suggesting that a match against Paul is not a priority.
Negotiations between Alvarez and Paul were reportedly being finalized. However, the intervention by Saudi officials and the subsequent offer of a more extensive and financially rewarding contract prompted Alvarez to shift away from the Paul bout.
Paul expressed his frustration over the cancellation.
“Canelo Alvarez ducked me,” Paul said in a statement. “It’s not surprising when his whole career he has done nothing for the sport of boxing outside the ring.”
Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) promotional company issued a statement expressing disappointment in the cancellation.
“MVP was deep in negotiations for a blockbuster fight between Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez, and it’s disappointing to see how the situation unfolded.”
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral. For more sports, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
