Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024 Paul has traditionally fought as a cruiserweight around 200 pounds. He did bulk up for his bout with Mike Tyson, weighing in at 227.2 pounds. Canelo has won championships in four different weight classes. He’s been the class of the super middleweight division (168 pounds) since 2020, becoming […]
Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024
Paul has traditionally fought as a cruiserweight around 200 pounds. He did bulk up for his bout with Mike Tyson, weighing in at 227.2 pounds.
Canelo has won championships in four different weight classes. He’s been the class of the super middleweight division (168 pounds) since 2020, becoming undisputed champion the following year with his TKO victory over Caleb Plant.
Canelo has a 10-1 career record in fights during Cinco de Mayo weekend. Paul has an 11-1 record in 12 career fights.
“Canelo is on his way out. He’s going to want a payday and I want to show the world all the (stuff) I’ve been talking about beating Canelo is actually true and I’ll have the biggest upset in the history of boxing. We’ll fight to really see who is the face because after this event, I’m going to be claiming it.”
Cinco de Mayo weekend has historically been a showcase for Canelo. The only time he hasn’t had a match on that weekend in the past six years was 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canelo suffered one of his two career losses fighting at light heavyweight, losing to Dmitry Bivol by unanimous decision for the WBA light heavyweight title via unanimous decision.
Per boxing insider Dan Rafael, Paul and Alvarez are in “very preliminary” talks for a fight that is being targeted for May 3 in Las Vegas.
A bout with Paul would require a huge physical transformation for Canelo. He has had two bouts at light heavyweight, but even that division only ranges between 165 to 178 pounds.
In the lead up to the Tyson bout, Paul laid out a scenario for the Canelo fight to be contested at cruiserweight before talking trash about him being over the hill:
Having worked his way through a collection of non-professionals or way past-their-prime former boxers, Jake Paul is in discussions to challenge himself against super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez.
Rafael did emphasize the talks are very early and many things would need to be figured out before any deal is reached, “not the least of which is the contract weight.”
Per ESPN’s Mike Coppinger, Álvarez and Terrence Crawford are finalizing a deal for a bout on Sept. 13 for super middleweight championship.
