WBC responds to rumors that Jake Paul has agreed to a $200 million fight deal with Canelo Alvarez
Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council, recently shared his thoughts on Jake Paul possibly making a super fight worth $200 million.
Last December, Jake Paul, the YouTuber turned boxer, faced a tough loss against former two-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua. Paul was knocked out in the sixth round and suffered serious injuries, including a broken jaw that kept him out for months.
Since then, many have wondered if Paul will continue boxing. Paul even told Ariel Helwani that his doctor suggested he retire because of his injuries. He said, “I’m getting new scans soon to see how my jaw is healing. We’ll see what the doctors say. Hopefully, I can get a better idea of when I can fight again — or if I can fight again at all.”
But true to his style, Paul later announced he’s in talks for a fight with boxing star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, offering the Mexican legend a huge $200 million payday. Paul told Betr, “Canelo, I’ve got the $200 million ready — easy money. Jake vs. Canelo, let’s make it happen. Fans have been waiting for this. It’s the biggest fight possible in boxing. Canelo said he’s interested, so we’re working on it. I think this will be the next fight. Sign the contract, Canelo. Much respect. Let’s make boxing history.”
As with Paul’s previous fight against Joshua, many will question how this match would be approved given the big difference in experience—Paul started boxing in 2018, while Alvarez is a four-weight world champion.
Though no official request has come in yet, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman seemed open to the idea. He said in an interview, “We haven’t received a request to sanction the fight yet, so no speculation. But Jake Paul has proven himself when he fought Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua. No one can say he’s fake anymore. We’ve supported him since he was an amateur.
“If he beat Tommy Fury, he would’ve been ranked. He lasted a couple of rounds against Joshua, and that deserves credit. As for fighting Canelo, we’ll wait and see. Our goal is always to do what’s best for the sport.”