What’s the best way to shut down a fight you never wanted in the first place? If you’re Canelo Alvarez, you play the long game. Let the negotiations run their course, and then pull off a power move that leaves your opponent scrambling. That’s exactly what the Mexican superstar did with Youtuber turned boxer Jake Paul.

For the uninitiated, Ring Magazine recently shared a post highlighting Alvarez’s potential opponents for his highly anticipated four-fight Riyadh Season deal. The post on X read, “Canelo Alvarez’s potential opponents for his four-fight Riyadh Season deal.” According to their report, Canelo’s journey under this blockbuster agreement will kick off in May 2025 with a high-stakes bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—a first for the Mexican superstar. His opponent for the opening fight is expected to be either Jermall Charlo or Bruno Surace.

The most electrifying showdown of the deal is set for September 2025, as Canelo is slated to face Terence Crawford in a long-awaited super fight. This clash of champions is rumored to take place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, a fitting stage for one of the biggest matchups in boxing. As for the final two fights, details are still being finalized, but one of them could feature a highly anticipated rematch with Dmitry Bivol, the man who handed Canelo his second career defeat in May 2022.

And ever since the news broke out, a former UFC featherweight champ was among those who couldn’t help but admire the ruthless strategy. Max Holloway took to social media with a four-word reaction. “What a business move.” And what a move it was. So, the Mexican reportedly led ‘The Problem Child’ down the road of a potential blockbuster fight before ultimately securing a massive four-fight deal with Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman, Turki Alalshikh.

In addition, MMA analyst Luke Thomas laid it out bluntly on X, “If you’re not keeping track, Canelo used Paul as a bargaining chip to get more money from Turki and negotiated it through coordinated media leaks. Paul is bitter about it.”

As for Jake, bitter might be an understatement. The YouTuber-turned-boxer had been hyping up the possibility of fighting Canelo, only to be left in the dust. His latest barrage of attacks included some choice words. Paul called the former super-middleweight champion a “b–ch….with herpes.”

Previously, the American had accused Alvarez of being “bought” and calling him a “money-hungry squirrel chasing [his] next nut.” Yes, those were Paul’s actual words in a video rant where he also displayed what he claimed was a signed contract for the fight. “Oh, Canelo, you puta. Time to expose him,” The Problem Child said. “We had a signed contract to fight. Claiming he’s not fighting YouTubers? Bullsh-t. Look at the poster. We were announcing Tuesday, Feb. 11.”

The bigger question that arises is if all of this was just a ploy from the start. Did ‘Cinnamon’ ever really intend to share the ring with Paul, or was the whole ordeal just a masterclass in negotiation? If we look at what the Mexican superstar had to say to his fans after the mega news broke out, it seems he had it all planned. In a video posted by Ring Magazine on X, ‘Cinnamon’ said, “Hey guys, don’t pay attention on anything. I will fight real fighters. Stop fu—ng around with Canelo. Come on, let’s go.” However, the parade of rants didn’t end there.

What would it take for Jake Paul to move on from this?

Paul’s frustration only grew as he aimed at Canelo’s recent fight choices, claiming the Mexican was ducking real competition like David Benavidez while opting to fight Terence Crawford, a 40-year-old vet. For Paul, this wasn’t just about a missed fight, it was about betrayal. “The truth is, you can be bought,” he ranted. “Al Haymon made you hundreds of millions of dollars, and you turned your back on him for this check. Disloyal.”

The Youtuber’s words might have been harsh, but was he really surprised? Canelo’s disdain for him has never been a secret. Apart from his most recent no-nonsense statement, the Mexican juggernaut has been vocal about Paul’s ‘illustrious list’ of opponents including Mike Tyson. Before the Jake-Tyson fight, Canelo discredited the event for being more of a spectacle than a real contest.

“It’s not good for boxing. I think Netflix is good for boxing, but especially in that fight. Netflix is doing something wrong there,” Alvarez said. When asked about a potential bout with ‘El Gallo’, the boxing icon made a brief and succinct response. “I’m not interested.” So, if there was ever any doubt about where he stood, that erased it. No backtracking, no sugarcoating, just classic Canelo Alvarez, making it clear that Jake Paul was never really in his plans.

‘The Problem Child’ might have believed he was on the verge of securing the biggest fight of his career, but in reality, he was nothing more than a pawn in Canelo’s grander scheme. And if Max Holloway’s reaction is any indication, there’s a certain level of admiration for how the boxing legend played his cards.

So what’s next for Jake Paul? Will he find another big-name opponent, or will this latest setback force him to rethink his approach? And as for Canelo, will his move to Saudi Arabia bring even bigger fights to the table? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!