Jake Paul might be gearing up to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. next month, but his sights remain locked on Canelo Alvarez. Following his first press conference for the Chavez Jr. fight at the Avalon Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles, Paul reignited the tension between himself and the Mexican superstar with some choice words about Canelo‘s latest performance-and his overall career trajectory.
During an interview with Fight Hub TV, the YouTuber-turned-boxer criticized Alvarez for his showing against undefeated Cuban boxer William Scull earlier this month.
The 12-round bout made headlines not for fireworks but for its lack of action. According to Compubox, the two combined for just 275 punches, the lowest ever recorded in a full-length fight. Canelo threw only 152 punches in total. Paul didn’t hold back in his reaction.
“Come on, I threw more punches against Mike Tyson in eight two-minute rounds than he did in a 12-round fight,” he said, referring to his recent exhibition against Tyson, during which he reportedly threw 278 punches.
Though Paul‘s Tyson matchup drew mixed reactions given the age disparity, it was a box office success. And now, it seems Paul is using that momentum to challenge the legitimacy of Canelo’s dominance.
Paul claims he would beat Canelo with ease
When asked whether he could have fared better than Scull-or even beaten Canelo himself-Paul didn’t flinch.
“A thousand percent without a doubt,” he said. “I would have beaten Canelo, and this is what I’ve been saying: he’s over the hill.”
Paul’s remarks come after earlier buzz that the two were in talks for a potential blockbuster fight. However, that speculation fizzled when Canelo signed a four-fight deal with Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh. That agreement lined him up for matchups with William Scull, Terence Crawford, and possibly others-effectively sidelining any talks with Paul, at least for now.
Still, the 27-year-old “Problem Child” appears unwilling to let the idea go. While he continues to evolve from novelty act to legitimate contender in boxing circles, Paul is clearly using every opportunity to chip away at boxing’s establishment-and Canelo, a four-division world champion, is a prized target.
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