Canelo Alvarez thinks Jake Paul should seriously consider whether he wants to keep doing this.
Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, the Mexican superstar delivered a blunt assessment of the YouTuber-turned-boxer, drawing a hard line between drawing money and being a fighter.
He needs to think about fighting again… It’s just facts. It was a mistake thinking you’re really a fighter. He can fight. He can make money. He’s a showman, and he did really well, but to be a real fighter is different.
The comments land with Paul rebuilding after the harshest night of his boxing career. Anthony Joshua stopped him in Miami last December, a beating that ended the debate about whether Paul could hang with an elite heavyweight and reset expectations around what he actually is in the ring.
There’s history here, too. The two were on the verge of a announcement in early 2025 before Canelo signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season instead, leaving Paul at the altar and prompting Turki Alalshikh’s now-infamous line that Canelo only fights real fighters. Paul later claimed on Helwani’s show that Canelo had been threatened with losing his contract if the fight went ahead.
Canelo’s take isn’t dismissive of what Paul has built. He credits the showmanship and the money. He just doesn’t think it makes him a fighter, and after what happened against Joshua, he clearly isn’t alone.
