The last 24 hours have been a rollercoaster ride for boxing fans. The long-awaited Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez fight was believed to be on the brink of cancelation with sources stating Canelo would take a fight against Jake Paul instead. And when Ring Magazine announced the cancelation of the Jake Paul fight, fans were left in disbelief once again. However, with the latest updates, it seems the fight with Crawford is still on. So, why the confusion in the first place? It could be a business move by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to hype up the big announcement, or maybe Canelo decided to change his mind twice in one day. But one thing’s for sure. The fight is happening, albeit with a twist.

Just hours ago, ESPN boxing insider, Mike Coppinger, broke the news on X, revealing that Canelo Alvarez has signed a new four-fight deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and the Riyadh Season, becoming the newest and quite probably the biggest name to join the Saudi Arabian sports endeavor. Ring Magazine quickly confirmed the update, revealing the minute details about Canelo’s next opponents. Let’s dive into the details of this new contract and what it could mean for Canelo’s career moving forward.

Canelo Alvarez has a busy 2025 and 2026

Just a few hours ago, Ring Magazine shared a post with a caption that read, “Canelo Alvarez’s potential opponents for his four-fight Riyadh Season deal.” According to Ring Magazine’s recent post, Canelo’s four-fight deal will kick off with a big bout in May 2025, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a first for the Mexican star. The opponents for the first match? It’s supposedly either Jermall Charlo or Bruno Surace. Charlo, 34, is the former WBC middleweight champion, who most recently defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by unanimous decision in November 2023. On the other hand, Surace, the French phenom, made headlines with his 6th-round knockout win over Jaime Munguia in December last year. Both are touted to be frontrunners for the May showdown. And after that?

The second fight in the deal is the one fans have been eagerly waiting for: Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez—scheduled for September 2025. This fight will possibly take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. While Canelo may hold a size advantage, Crawford has shown incredible skill and versatility in the ring. The match promises to be a tactical and intense battle, and fans are eager to see if the WBA Super Welter champion’s exceptional training and strategic approach can outshine a bigger and more powerful Canelo Alvarez.

The third fight, slated for February 2026 in Riyadh, is still up in the air in terms of potential opponents. The possibilities, as per Ring Magazine, include a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who handed Canelo his second loss in May 2022, or younger prospects like Hamzah Sheeraz and Chris Eubank Jr. If Bivol prevails in his upcoming fight with Artur Beterbiev, a rematch with Canelo seems very likely. However, Sheeraz, unbeaten with a 21-0 record and 17 KOs, could provide a fresh challenge. Eubank, who’s set to fight Conor Benn in April, remains a possible opponent as well.

Finally, the fourth fight is planned for October 2026 in Riyadh, but the opponent has yet to be confirmed.

With these four exciting fights lined up, it looks like Canelo’s plans for a showdown with Jake Paul will have to be put on hold for now. Why did the Mexican champion even want the fight with the Problem Child?

Canelo motivated by a quest for revenge?

In the aftermath of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson in November last year, Canelo Alvarez expressed his disappointment in the cross-generational bout. “I feel sad about what I see from Mike Tyson. He (Jake Paul) can’t do that kind of stuff. It’s business for them,” Canelo remarked while talking to Fight Hype TV. When asked if he wanted to “get revenge for Mike Tyson,” Canelo responded, “I think about when I see the fire, when I see injustice. But I will say, no, I’m in my team.”

Just yesterday, when the rumors swirled about a potential fight between Canelo Alvarez and ‘The Problem Child‘, Eddie Hearn, the Matchroom boss, even admitted that the financial potential of a Canelo-Paul showdown was off the charts. Hearn suggested that the fight could bring in over $200 million in TV revenue alone. Despite the financial allure, it seems the Canelo-Paul fight is definitely off the table for now.

With everything in flux, the future of Canelo Alvarez’s career is as uncertain as it is thrilling. Do you believe the Canelo-Crawford fight will live up to the hype? Why is David Benavidez’s name not on the list? And what are your thoughts on the canceled Jake Paul fight?