Canelo Alvarez is backing his countryman Julio Cesar Chavez Jr when he faces Jake Paul this weekend, even after fighting him.
Pound-for-pound great Alvarez is currently preparing for his own fight with Terence Crawford at the Allegiant Stadium on September 13. The bout will be Dana White’s first as a boxing promoter, and is being broadcast live on Netflix.
However, before this bout was agreed and funded by Turki Alalshikh, Alvarez was on the verge of inking a significant deal to face Paul himself. Instead, the social media star has opted to face his old opponent and former middleweight world champion Chavez Jr.
- Who is Jake Paul? Get to know the YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation after his record-breaking fight with Mike Tyson
Canelo Alvarez backs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr to beat Jake Paul in grudge fight
One man who knows both Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr all too well is boxing icon Canelo Alvarez. The multiple-weight world champion defeated his fellow Mexican in a massive fight that set him on a path to middleweight gold back in 2017.
He returned to the scene of that famous victory, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, for a press conference to promote his upcoming bout with Crawford this afternoon. And asked by Bloody Elbow who he was backing in the Paul v Chavez Jr fight, he opted to go with his countryman.
“I hope Julio Cesar Chavez Jr beats Jake Paul,” he said confidently. “My support is with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.”
Canelo Alvarez nearly fought Jake Paul prior to inking nine-figure Saudi deal
Indeed, it was very nearly Alvarez himself fighting Paul this summer. He was within touching distance of a deal with Netflix to fight the YouTuber-turned-boxer in a massive Cinco De Mayo super-fight, but opted instead to sign a four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh worth hundreds of millions.
Alvarez instead ended up facing William Scull, who struggled to get going in a drab affair that took place in the middle of the night in Riyadh. That was all to set up the Crawford fight, which will usher in the Zuffa Boxing era and Dana White’s attempt to take over a new sport.
A statement from Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions after the fight was cancelled in February read: “MVP was deep in negotiations for a blockbuster fight between Jake Paul and Canelo Alvarez on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas.
“A massive event for the Mexican, Puerto Rican and American fans, and it’s disappointing to see how the situation unfolded. MVP operates with integrity, transparency, and respect for the sport, its athletes, and the fans. Unfortunately, not everyone in the boxing world shares those values.”