Jake Paul and Canelo Álvarez are nearing the completion of a deal for a cruiserweight bout scheduled for May 3 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as reported by ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.
The fight is expected to occur at the 200-pound limit and will be available for streaming on Netflix. This announcement follows comments from Matchroom Sport’s Eddie Hearn, who claimed that the primary details of the highly anticipated match have been settled.
Hearn informed Ring Magazine’s Louis Hart that he believes the matchup between Canelo and Paul is “done.” Additionally, boxing insider Dan Rafael shared on Wednesday that the two fighters are in the preliminary stages of discussions for the May 3 event in Las Vegas.
Canelo’s Change in Focus
The progress with Paul’s team may shed light on why Canelo’s highly anticipated megafight with Terence Crawford fell apart so quickly. In January, Coppinger reported that arrangements were aligning for Álvarez and Crawford to clash during the weekend of Mexican Independence Day in September.
On Monday, Coppinger and Ring Magazine’s Keith Idec both indicated that negotiations were nearing completion. However, by Thursday, Idec reported that the fight was entirely off.
This sudden change was a considerable disappointment for boxing enthusiasts who had long desired to see Canelo and Crawford face off in the ring.
Álvarez’s move in focus to Paul may further frustrate fans, as the YouTuber-turned-boxer has yet to demonstrate that he is a formidable challenger capable of going up against one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.
Financial Implications
However, the matchup between Canelo and Paul is projected to be a substantial financial success, which is likely a primary consideration for Álvarez.
He reportedly earned around $35 million for his unanimous-decision win over Edgar Berlanga in September. Facing Paul would likely yield him more than the reported $45 million he made for the final bout in his trilogy with Gennady Golovkin.
The super middleweight champion will also have an open schedule in the fall, allowing him to resume discussions with Crawford or pursue another opponent who could enhance his legacy.
