With the announcement last Tuesday that Jake Paul is targeting a return to the boxing ring in late 2026 or early 2027 following a second broken jaw surgery, it’s immediately become clear who Paul’s next opponent should be:
Canelo.
Forget Francis Ngannou (Paul wants to go back down to cruiserweight and there’s no way Ngannou can get down to 200 pounds). Forget Nate Diaz in an MMA ring (Paul will get destroyed). And forget KSI (because no one should care about a fight between Paul and KSI).
The next time Paul steps into the ring, it should be Saul “Canelo” Alvarez—and only Canelo—in the opposite corner.
Here’s a few reasons why:
First, the fight would likely be made at 200 pounds, a weight that Canelo has never fought at, giving Paul a huge size and strength advantage. Don’t misunderstand: Canelo will still be a prohibitive favorite despite never having fought above 175 pounds. But against a fighter like Canelo, Paul will need all the advantages he can get,
Second, from a financial standpoint, Canelo vs. Paul is likely the biggest fight that can be made in boxing right now. Both fighters would make at least $100 million, and it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that each fighter’s purse reaches $150 million or even $200 million.
And third, for Canelo there’s really no one else worth fighting.
Canelo recently announced he would return to the ring on Sept. 12 in Saudi Arabia, following his decision loss to Terence “Bud” Crawford last September. Canelo hoped for a rematch, but that went out the window after Crawford retired following the Canelo fight. And since Paul won’t be ready to fight on Sept. 12, here are some of the leading candidates to be Canelo’s opponent in Saudi Arabia:
WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli;
Hamzah Sheeraz, an undefeated contender who recently moved up to super-middleweight;
And Diageo Pacheco, another 168-pound contender.
All good fighters, each of whom would likely give Canelo a tougher fight than Paul. The problem, however? Little box office appeal.
Whomever Canelo fights in September, it will likely be someone like the three contenders listed above. But once that fight is over and done with, and Canelo takes a few months off to recharge for his next bout, Paul should be fully recovered from his broken jaw, will likely be back in the ring training, and his body will have gotten a much-needed rest following his brutal loss at the hands of Anthony Joshua.
Canelo vs. Paul doesn’t line up for this year.
But next year, the stars can align. Each fighter must simply say yes.
Nevin Barich is the Combat Sports Editor for The Sporting Tribune.
