Canelo Alvarez has signed a four-fight agreement with Riyadh Season, a deal that includes the possibility of a highly anticipated match with Jake Paul, reportedly contributing to a larger contract for the Mexican boxing champion.
Turki Alalshikh, who leads Riyadh Season and the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, revealed the agreement on social media, declaring, “Don’t mess with the lion.” Canelo quickly responded with a message of excitement, writing, “Let’s go brother.”
The first fight in this new contract will take place in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. There are rumors that Canelo’s second opponent might be Terence Crawford, the well-established welterweight champion. Crawford teased a potential showdown with Canelo in September, hinting at a possible surprise in Riyadh.
Canelo Alvarez has been the top earner in boxing for years, and the 34-year-old super middleweight champion used the possibility of a spectacle fight with Jake Paul to secure a substantial deal from the Saudi Arabian government entity, which has been investing heavily in the sport recently.
Canelo Alvarez would have been a massive favorite to defeat Jake Paul, the YouTube sensation who has become a major attraction in combat sports by facing mixed martial artists and even 58-year-old Mike Tyson. However, it seems Canelo is now focused on a potential fight with Terence Crawford this year, although Crawford will need to move up two weight classes to challenge Alvarez.
Canelo’s most recent fight was in September in Las Vegas, where he defeated Edgar Berlanga by decision, improving his record to 62-2-2 with 39 knockouts.
