“He must decide what he wants. If he wants to be a boxer, he must do big fights against boxers. That is my opinion. If he wants to work with Riyadh Season, he must do it against real fighters. I would then support him.” His Excellency Turki Alalshikh didn’t mince words when addressing Jake Paul’s boxing trajectory. And his critique isn’t unfounded. Jake Paul’s early career was built on victories over retired MMA fighters or boxers well past their prime. And we all saw how things turned out against Tommy Fury, didn’t we? While his recent win over Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. earned him a sweet spot at No. 14 in the WBA cruiserweight rankings, that placement is already under review due to the backlash it invited. In a recent turn of events, it appears the 28-year-old is setting aside past rivalries to forge a new partnership.

Jake Paul will witness a historic milestone on July 11, as his Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) hosts the first-ever all-women’s boxing card at Madison Square Garden in New York. Meanwhile, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is also in New York, orchestrating the Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz & Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda, Ring III event on July 12 in Queens. With both Jake Paul and HE Alalshikh in town for their respective boxing events, the timing was ideal for a meeting, and that’s precisely what took place.

Last night, HE Turki Alalshikh dropped a bombshell on X that left everyone stunned. With nothing but two emojis, “🥊🔥” he shared a photo alongside the 12-1 boxer. In the picture, Alalshikh can be seen with one hand draped over Jake Paul’s shoulder and the other posed confidently as he looks directly into the camera, wearing a smile that suggested things were better now. An hour after HE Turki Alalshikh shared the photo, Jake Paul reshared it, offering a brief yet revealing update on their collaboration. Captioning the post, Jake Paul wrote: “My / MVPs goal has always been to disrupt and grow boxing, and Turki has done that in massive ways. Collaborating only helps ensure boxing, for women and men, continues to grow and regain its place as the biggest sport in the world 🥊 🔥.” 

So, could this mean Jake Paul is planning to expand his women’s boxing venture to Riyadh as well? The possibilities are endless, and fans had plenty to say about the surprising link-up.

What exactly is Jake Paul plotting?

It took less than a day for the Saudi Royal to seal the deal with Canelo Alvarez, who was initially rumored to have signed a $150 million boxing agreement to face Jake Paul in May. Instead, Canelo ended up signing a four-fight deal with the Riyadh Season head. Now, following the viral photo of Jake Paul and Turki Alalshikh, fans are speculating whether Jake Paul could face Canelo Alvarez next year in the fourth and final bout of Canelo’s four-fight deal. Not really. But the image was enough for fans to speculate. “What???????? 😟 Are we really gonna see Jake vs Canelo?” one user wrote in disbelief.

Fueling more speculation is the fact that Jake Paul had also been eyeing a fight with Anthony Joshua, just as Joshua is reportedly looking to make his return to the ring later this year. That led some fans to theorize a potential clash between the two. “Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua is imminent,” predicted one user.

Meanwhile, others were quick to point out a shift in Jake Paul’s earlier stance. One user commented, “@jakepaul bending the knee,” referencing Paul’s earlier statement from January, when he publicly rejected the idea of collaborating with HE Turki Alalshikh, saying, “Self made, no need to bend the knee to get a paycheck. Only a few of us left.” Some fans pushed for more credible matchups, suggesting, “He needs a legit fight and then he can be taken seriously give him @jaiopetaia1.” Others still held out for the long-hyped KSI rematch, saying, “It better be KSI vs Jake, or else we don’t want.” There was even speculation that the link-up might be focused on advancing women’s boxing: “Are they pairing up to make better women’s boxing fights happen??”

Critics, however, didn’t hold back. One reminded everyone, “Turki said months ago he don’t want micky mouse fights and now teams up with Jake hahahahaha,” suggesting Paul still lacks the skillset to take on elite-level fighters. Others were even harsher: “Goddammit Turki!!! Not Jake the fake, please!!” The “YouTuber Jake Paul” image continues to cast a shadow, with many arguing he’s more showman than true fighter.

Still, if Jake Paul is genuinely aiming to challenge top-tier opponents and become a world champion, the move is bold and commendable. And if his intent is to uplift women’s boxing, that too deserves recognition. But as of now, no one knows for sure what the sudden link-up suggests. Do you?