Jake Paul has built his empire on controversy. From his social media antics to high-stakes boxing, he thrives where chaos meets spectacle. Recently, the combat sports world was left buzzing when reports emerged of another clash for ‘The Problem Child’. A fight against Canelo Alvarez, arguably one of the greatest boxers of his generation.

But then, in the blink of an eye, it was gone. Instead of facing Paul, Alvarez chose a four-fight deal with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, leaving the ‘Problem Child’ fuming. Paul subsequently accused Alvarez of being a sellout and dodging him for a payday. But according to a former UFC champion, Paul’s foray into the world of boxing, especially his last fight against Mike Tyson, should never have happened in the first place!

Michael Bisping puts Jake Paul on notice as ‘The Problem Child’ deals with Canelo Alvarez fight falling through

On November 15, 2024, Jake Paul took on Mike Tyson in a bout that was streamed globally on Netflix. Reportedly drawing 65 million concurrent viewers, it was a massive event that captured the entire combat sports world. But was it really a fight, or just a payday wrapped in nostalgia?

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Michael Bisping recently stated, “We know the last time out, what did he do, who was it? Mike Tyson, 58 years old, a man that couldn’t even get on a plane without getting carried off by a doctor. A man that was walking around with a walking stick, a man that was, granted once upon a time the most scariest b—- on planet earth.”

Even though ‘The Count’ acknowledged the “100-150 million” views that the fight drew, he still wasn’t convinced. He further shared, “Mike Tyson should never have been there. He would have got paid an absolute fortune. But Jake Paul does this, this is what he does every single time. He claims to be the baddest m—-, he’s not.”

Since embarking on his boxing journey, Paul has gone 11-1. A respectable record at first glance, but a deeper look at it reveals some startling figures. Names like Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz, were all considered past their primes and washed. Not even considering the significant age gap between ‘The Problem Child’ and the retired MMA fighters.

As such, Bisping didn’t hold anything back as he proclaimed, “He is a YouTube star, he is a Disney Star, he is a businessman. Fair play, the man has made a tremendous amount of money. Just stop with the bull— claiming that you’re a fighter. If you were a fighter, there’s a lot of people in their primes that are your size that you can fight.”

That criticism also extended to Paul’s pursuit of Canelo Alvarez. The weight gap alone made the fight absurd—Canelo hovers around 175-180 pounds when not in camp, while Paul walks around at 220. Yet, according to UFC CEO Dana White, there was no chance that ‘The Problem Child’ would have been able to stop Turki Alalshikh from whisking away the Alvarez clash from under his nose!

Dana White confesses Turki Alalshikh and Saudi Arabia on different “levels” compared to Paul 

If Jake Paul thought he could outmaneuver Saudi Arabia’s deep pockets, he was in for a rude awakening. Dana White certainly wasn’t surprised. The UFC boss knows better than anyone how much influence Turki Alalshikh wields in boxing right now.

At the UFC 312 post-fight press conference, White confessed, “Listen, they control the sport of boxing right now. I don’t think it’s hard for them to steal anybody from anybody.”

One moment, Paul seemed on the brink of securing a fight with Canelo Alvarez on Netflix. The next, the Mexican superstar had signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, shutting the door on Paul’s biggest payday yet.

As such, Dana White didn’t need to dig into the contract details to see what happened as he further stated, “I don’t know the ins and outs of that deal but I’m sure it’s not too hard to steal somebody away from [Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions] to Saudi. Totally different levels. Not even the same universe of levels.”

Alvarez, for his part, clearly saw the opportunity too. He wasn’t about to entertain a circus fight with Paul when massive bouts awaited. First up? William Scull in May. Then, a potential showdown with Terence Crawford, a true pound-for-pound great, is reportedly in the works for later in 2025.

In the end, Jake Paul’s track record speaks for itself—fights against aging legends, viral headlines, and lucrative deals. But as Michael Bisping pointed out, there’s a difference between being a businessman and a true fighter. So, do you think ‘The Problem Child’ will find an opponent to truly test his mettle? Or will he pursue another spectacle for his next fight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!