The world of boxing never fails to deliver surprises, and the latest buzz is about Canelo Alvarez potentially facing Jake Paul. According to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, there’s a real, massive offer on the table for Canelo to take on the YouTuber-turned-boxer in a fight that, in Hearn’s words, poses “absolutely no risk” to the Mexican superstar.
Photo by BoxingScene
Hearn on Canelo vs Jake Paul: It’s All About the Money
Hearn, who has worked with Canelo in the past, didn’t sugarcoat the reality of the situation. He openly admitted that Canelo, at this point in his career, is looking at business decisions as much as competitive fights.
“I am biased because I like Canelo Alvarez and that’s just being honest,” Hearn said. “And I think what he’s done in his career, he’s proven everything. His resume is unbelievable. And if you want to make $100M to fight Jake Paul, right—like the thing is about Canelo, he don’t tell any lies. He’s very transparent. He’s not going to try to justify this fight to you...he’s doing it for a sack load of money.”
Hearn continued, explaining that Canelo’s mindset is simple: if a fight is offered, his first question is, “how much?” And when the payday is in the range of $80M to $120M, as rumored, it’s hard to turn down.
Jake Paul Stepping Up?
While many boxing purists may roll their eyes at the idea of this fight, Hearn pointed out that Jake Paul has been criticized in the past for not fighting “real” competition. If this fight happens, no one can say he isn’t stepping up.
Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images
“You can’t criticize Jake Paul,” Hearn said. “Because the criticism for Jake Paul has always been ‘when are you going to fight someone decent?’ Well, guess what? He might be fighting Canelo Alvarez. I don’t hate it. I’ll be watching.”
How Long Would Jake Last?
Hearn was brutally honest when asked how competitive the fight would be. In his view, it’s completely up to Canelo.
“However many rounds Canelo wants it to be,” he said. “The only thing is Jake’s going to be a lot heavier and bigger. No disrespect to Jake’s ability as a fighter, but he’s fighting Canelo Alvarez, one of the top fighters in the world. So, like, he’s going to get spanked—but he’s going to make a lot of money whilst receiving the spanking.”
What About Canelo vs Crawford?
There were also recent rumors that a potential showdown between Canelo and Terence Crawford was off. Hearn didn’t confirm or deny anything but admitted that the Jake Paul fight could have shaken things up.
“Who knows? One day it’s not happening, tomorrow it could be happening,” Hearn said about Canelo vs Crawford. “Maybe the Jake Paul fight put people’s noses out of joint, I don’t know. But the reality is, the fight is much bigger than Crawford against Canelo. But for boxing fans, it’s not, at all. For boxing fans, Canelo vs Crawford is one of the best fights that could ever get made.”
Still, Hearn is confident that if the massive payday from the Paul fight is real, Canelo is going to take it.
The Bottom Line
Canelo Alvarez fighting Jake Paul might not be the match traditional boxing fans dream of, but it’s undoubtedly a spectacle that would generate huge money and attention. If the numbers being thrown around are accurate, it’s easy to see why Canelo would entertain the idea.
Whether or not the fight actually happens remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—boxing’s crossover era isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Comments