Jake Paul's hopes of facing Canelo Alvarez in a blockbuster bout have been dashed after Alvarez signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, a Saudi Arabian entertainment organization. The deal, which includes a fight against Terence Crawford in September, effectively removes Paul from the equation.
Paul, who recently defeated former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a widely watched Netflix event, took to Instagram to express his disappointment, accusing Alvarez of "ducking" him and being an "owned slave" with no regard for the Mexican people who support him. Paul's Most Valuable Promotions company also released a statement criticizing the boxing world's lack of integrity and transparency.
Alvarez, currently scheduled to fight an unnamed opponent in May, had previously expressed openness to facing Paul in a fight after his retirement from boxing. The potential matchup was seen as a massive event for fans of both boxing and Paul's YouTube following. However, the Saudi Arabian deal appears to have put an end to those plans for now.