Canelo Alvarez has revealed a potential fight with Jake Paul could still happen in the future.
Alvarez incredibly looked set to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in May this year, with his potential rival having recently defeated heavyweight icon Mike Tyson last November.
Canelo and Paul were due to fight but the champion turned it down at late notice
But with an official announcement seemingly close, Alvarez made a U-turn and signed a four-fight deal with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.
He will instead face William Scull on May 3 for the undisputed super-middleweight crown, before a huge mega-fight with Terence Crawford in September.
The Mexican champion has now opened up on his reasons for turning his back on the fight.
“I think I did the correct thing being with Turki Alalshikh,” Alvarez told CBS Sports.
“That’s the way I feel. I think there is so much potential in the future and that’s why we chose to be working with him.
“Because [Scull] is better for me [as an opponent] at this point in my career. I just want to continue making history.
“I don’t even call [boxing Paul] a fight, it’s more of an event than a fight.
“That event can wait until I retire.”
Alvarez is one of boxing’s pound-for-pound biggest stars and it was a surprise that he was so considering abandoning Crawford fight plans to meet Paul.
‘El Gallo’ is now one of the biggest commercial draws in the sport, with his events drawing huge revenue and viewing figures.
Alvarez will now instead face Scull then Crawford in September if he winsCredit: Ed Mullholland / Queensberry Promotions
But it is clear the boxing king is prioritising his legacy in the sport for now, with multiple years left until potential retirement.
Paul himself was left furious having nearly landed the shot of a lifetime against a modern-era boxing great.
He is now being forced to consider an alternative opponent and it has added another layer to an unlikely rivalry.
And he furiously attacked Alvarez in a scathing rant moments after Alvarez announced his new contract.
He said: “Time to expose him. So we had a signed contract to fight. Here you can see Canelo’s signature and my signature to the right.
“Claiming he’s not fighting YouTubers, bulls***, look at the poster. We were announcing Tuesday, February 11.
Paul wasn’t impressed with Alvarez’s late withdrawalCredit: Getty
“Claiming he fights real fighters but he’s fighting Crawford, a 135lb fighter, and running from a real fighter like David Benavidez, you b****.
“You’re a money-hungry squirrel chasing your next nut. The truth is, these sports-washing shady characters are paying you 100’s of millions of dollars to stop our fight from happening because they couldn’t fathom the fact that they can’t create a bigger fight than me and you.
“I’m the new face of boxing. You cannot have the biggest fight of 2025 without my name involved.
“When all of your events tank and lose money you will all realize who the king of the sport is. 28 years old.
“Biggest fight in boxing history. My own boss. Not owned. 5 years in.”