Jake Paul has publicly called out Canelo Alvarez for “selling out” to Saudi Arabia

Jake Paul has publicly called out Canelo Alvarez for “selling out” to Saudi Arabia

Jake Paul responded on Friday night, just a day after Canelo Alvarez—the Mexican boxing legend—rejected their highly anticipated fight to sign a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia.

Paul Accuses Canelo of Chasing Money

“The truth is, you can be bought,” Paul fired at Alvarez on social media. “You’re just a hungry squirrel chasing your next nut. These shady sports-washing figures are paying you hundreds of millions to block our fight because they can’t accept the reality that they can’t create a fight bigger than me and you.”

Turki Alalshikh, the head of Riyadh Season and the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, officially announced the deal on Thursday. Alvarez’s first fight under the new contract is set for May in Riyadh, with Terence Crawford—the long-time welterweight champion—being a strong candidate for his second fight in Las Vegas.

Canelo’s Multi-Million Dollar Deal

Alvarez, 34, has long been one of boxing’s highest-paid athletes. Some believe he used the potential fight with Jake Paul as leverage to secure a massive payday from Saudi Arabia, which has been heavily investing in combat sports over the past few years.

Paul didn’t hold back in his response: “You call me a YouTuber, but you’ve never had a boxing fight as big as mine. I promise you this, Canelo: whatever fight you take this year, mine will be bigger!”

Canelo’s Legacy and Paul’s Rising Fame

Canelo was widely expected to easily defeat Paul, given his stellar professional record of 62-2-2, with 39 knockouts. His most recent fight took place in September in Las Vegas, where he dominated Edgar Berlanga.

Meanwhile, Jake Paul continues to cement his position as one of the most marketable names in combat sports. He has fought high-profile MMA fighters and even the 58-year-old boxing legend Mike Tyson.

With the fight against Alvarez now off the table, will Paul’s bold claims hold true? Can he generate an event bigger than Canelo’s fights? Or is this just another strategic publicity move?