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Jake Paul responded to Canelo Alvarez's decision to pass up a potential bout with the YouTube star by accusing the Mexican boxing icon of being motivated by money. Paul claimed that Alvarez was being paid hundreds of millions of dollars by 'shady characters' to prevent their fight from happening, suggesting that they were unable to create a bigger spectacle than a matchup between the two.
The response came after Turki Alalshikh, the head of Riyadh Season and the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, announced a four-fight deal with Alvarez. The first fight is scheduled to take place in May in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the possibility of a second fight against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.
Alvarez, a dominant force in boxing and the super middleweight champion, has long been a top earner in the sport. By leveraging the potential bout with Paul, he secured a significant commitment from the Saudi Arabian government entity that has been investing heavily in boxing in recent years.
Paul, known for his success in drawing audiences and pay-per-view buys, confidently asserted that any fight Alvarez engages in this year would be overshadowed by the magnitude of a showdown between them. Despite being considered a massive underdog against Alvarez, Paul has built a substantial following in combat sports through fights against mixed martial artists and even the legendary Mike Tyson.
Alvarez's most recent fight was in September in Las Vegas, where he defeated Edgar Berlanga to improve his record to 62-2-2, with an impressive 39 knockouts to his name.
It remains to be seen how the situation between Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez will unfold, but the potential matchup has certainly stirred up excitement and controversy in the world of boxing.