
Imago
via IMAGO

Imago
via IMAGO
Looking for boxing’s biggest disruptor? You don’t have to go too far. Living up to his reputation as a non-conformist, Jake Paul’s phone call with Canelo Alvarez reinforces that image.
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The knockout loss to Anthony Joshua left him with a broken jaw. While he appears to have recovered, the recent interview with Ariel Helwani showed that questions about his return remain. Amid that uncertainty, a new development surfaced as Jake Paul shared details of an alleged discussion with Canelo for a $200 million bout.
“This is me talking to Canelo,” Paul said during the first edition of his Kick livestream. The footage, shared by Happy Punch on X, features him allegedly speaking with Canelo over the phone.
While Canelo’s audio was faint, Paul could be heard saying, “I look up to you. You’re an inspiration. Me and you, have a lot of similarities. One day we will make a good fight; until then we can be friends.”
On the Kick stream, as the video rolled, someone asked Paul how much money Canelo wanted.
Jake Paul just said Canelo Alvarez will be his next fight and he’s paying him $200M 🤯
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 13, 2026
“This is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing. Jake Paul vs Canelo. Official.” pic.twitter.com/QJRLuPjO9r
“Canelo wanted 200 million,” Paul replied before addressing the former undisputed champion directly. “Canelo, I have the 200 million dollars for you. Easy money. Jake Paul versus Canelo. Let’s get it done.”
“This is what the fans have been waiting for,” he added. “This is the biggest fight that can possibly be made in boxing.”
Expressing hope that the matchup would become reality, Paul reiterated he has the $200 million ready for what he called “the next fight.”
“So sign the contract, Canelo,” Paul said. “Much respect to you. Let’s make the biggest fight in boxing happen. That’s the exclusive Kick livestream. Jake Paul versus Canelo. Official, official, official. You heard it here first.”
But Paul’s sudden confidence caught many off guard, considering the doubts he had publicly expressed about his future just days earlier.
Amid comeback doubts, Jake Paul reignites Canelo chase
While remaining optimistic about his fighting career, the Cleveland native admitted the thought that this could be the end had crossed his mind.
“Those thoughts have definitely come up,” he revealed.
That is what makes the sudden Canelo discussion even more surprising.
The matchup already generated major buzz last year. Following the Mike Tyson fight, Jake Paul zeroed in on Canelo Alvarez, coming off a win over Edgar Berlanga.
But just as reports of talks between the two sides emerged, news broke that Canelo had accepted a four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season. The partnership began with the William Scull bout before moving toward the Terence Crawford showdown.
“Hey guys, don’t pay attention to anything [from] this f**king YouTuber. I just fight real fighters… no f**king around with Canelo! Come on—let’s go!” slamming Paul, Canelo told fans afterwards.
Even so, Paul continued calling out Canelo, stating, “It makes sense. He’s coming to the end of his career, where he’s gonna want to make a lot of money. So, Canelo, once again, I wanna fight you; let’s make it happen. You can run, but you can’t hide.”
At this point, Paul almost seems convinced that a fight with Canelo is inevitable, especially with many viewing the Mexican superstar as no longer at his peak.
Still, there are major questions surrounding how realistic the matchup actually is.
The Mexican superstar saw his momentum slow after the high-profile loss to Terence Crawford this past September. He also dealt with an injury and underwent elbow surgery before reports of a comeback began emerging.
Then on April 30, Ring Magazine revealed that the former undisputed champion is set to challenge Christian M’billi for the WBC super middleweight title.
So if Canelo defeats M’billi, as most expect him to, why would he immediately turn around and face Jake Paul?
Unlike last year, when Paul somehow cracked cruiserweight’s top-15 rankings, he isn’t ranked anywhere now. That creates even more uncertainty over how the fight would be structured and whether it would be treated as a title bout or simply an exhibition.
Whether the talks are genuine or just another Jake Paul stunt, the idea of a Canelo showdown is back in boxing conversations once again.
