Canelo Alvarez seemed set to fight Jake Paul, but after a deal with Turki Alalshikh at the eleventh hour, the big crossover bout was put on hold. While the initial article, published on March 8, 2025, speculated on future possibilities, significant developments have since unfolded in the careers of both fighters, reshaping the landscape of their potential clash.
Canelo Alvarez’s Championship Reign and Historic Challenge
As anticipated, Canelo Alvarez defended his super middleweight championship against William Scull on May 3, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight saw Alvarez successfully add the IBF belt to his collection, becoming the undisputed champion in the division for the second time in his illustrious career. Leading up to the bout, Scull, an unbeaten Cuban-German boxer with a record of 23-0 and nine knockouts, presented a fresh challenge, though he had never faced an opponent of Alvarez’s calibre. Canelo, then 34, entered the fight with a formidable record of 62 wins, two losses, and two draws, with 39 knockouts.
The contest itself, however, was largely described as “uninspiring” and “boring” by critics, with Scull employing a highly defensive style that frustrated Alvarez. Despite the lack of explosive action, Alvarez did what was necessary to secure a unanimous decision victory with scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 119-109, improving his record to 63-2-2 (39 KOs). Scull’s professional record moved to 23-1 (9 KOs) after his first defeat.
Following this victory, Alvarez moved on to an even more significant challenge, facing Terence Crawford in September 2025. This highly anticipated bout, dubbed “The Fight of the Century,” took place on September 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. In a historic upset, Terence Crawford, moving up two weight classes from welterweight, outclassed Canelo Alvarez to win by unanimous decision. The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 in favor of Crawford. This victory made Crawford the first male boxer in history to become an undisputed champion in three different weight divisions, solidifying his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Canelo’s record now stands at 63 wins, three losses, and two draws, with 39 knockouts. Crawford, remaining undefeated, improved his flawless record to 42-0 (31 KOs) after this monumental win.
Alvarez last fought Edgar Berlanga, securing a dominant decision win and despite slowing down in recent years, with most of his recent fights ending by way of decision rather than stoppage, his focus remains on cementing his legacy rather than engaging in novelty fights such as that with Paul. Canelo is scheduled to return to the ring on September 12, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to face WBC middleweight/super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli.
Jake Paul’s Continued Ascent and Setback
Jake Paul recently defeated former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in an eight-round fight. The bout, held on November 15, 2024, at AT&T Stadium, attracted millions of viewers on Netflix, becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever at the time with 65 million concurrent viewers. Paul won by unanimous decision, improving his record to 11 wins and one loss, with seven knockouts. The 27-year-old Paul defeated the 58-year-old Tyson after eight two-minute rounds, with Tyson reportedly fading in the later rounds while Paul gained confidence. Paul was complimentary of Tyson after the fight, calling him “a legend and the greatest to ever do it.” Tyson himself stated, “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.”
Paul continued his boxing journey after the Tyson fight. He went on to defeat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision on June 28, 2025. However, Paul faced a significant challenge on December 19, 2025, when he stepped into the ring against former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. In a major test for Paul, Joshua defeated him by knockout in the sixth round. The fight was criticized for the substantial size and experience difference between the two, with Joshua weighing 26.8 lbs heavier and being 5 inches taller. Paul suffered a broken jaw in the fight, requiring surgery to fit two titanium plates and remove some teeth, an injury that has put his boxing career “most definitely” in doubt according to Paul himself in a May 2026 interview. His current professional record stands at 12 wins and 2 losses, with 7 knockouts.
The Super Middleweight Landscape and Future Crossover Prospects
Earlier this year it was widely reported that the fight between Alvarez and Paul was in the works for Cinco De Mayo, but after negotiations with Turki Alalshikh, Canelo instead faced Scull on the May date in Riyadh, and Terence Crawford in September of this year. The outcome of these fights has significantly altered the immediate future of a potential Alvarez vs. Paul crossover bout.
With Terence Crawford’s historic victory over Canelo Alvarez in September 2025, Crawford became the undisputed super middleweight champion. However, Crawford subsequently retired, vacating all the super middleweight titles. This has opened up the division, with Christian Mbilli now holding the WBC super middleweight strap through legitimate competition. Canelo Alvarez, despite his loss to Crawford, remains a top-tier fighter and is focused on reclaiming his position at the elite level, as evidenced by his upcoming fight against Mbilli.
Alvarez has not ruled out a fight with Paul but made it clear it is not a priority. He is focused on defending his belts and a major fight with Crawford. He admitted he might face Paul—but only after retiring from elite competition. For now, Alvarez remains committed to world titles, while Paul keeps pushing for a future showdown. Given Canelo is in the closing chapter of his career, aiming to only fight on at the top level for a few more years, we may still see a fight with ‘The Problem Child’ sooner than we think. However, Paul’s recent knockout loss to Anthony Joshua and the severe jaw injury he sustained may force him to re-evaluate his immediate boxing trajectory, potentially delaying or even derailing the highly anticipated crossover spectacle. The paths of these two fighters, once seemingly on a collision course, have diverged significantly, making a future encounter less certain in the short term.
