Canelo Alvarez has revealed he could still face Jake Paul in the boxing ring - but only after he hangs up his gloves.
The Mexican superstar was reportedly close to announcing a blockbuster bout with the YouTuber-turned-boxer earlier this year.
Instead, Alvarez made a dramatic U-turn, signing a lucrative four-fight deal with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh.
The decision left Paul furious after nearly securing the opportunity of a lifetime against one of boxing's pound-for-pound kings.
Canelo Alvarez admits he could fight Jake Paul - when he retires
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Alvarez will now face William Scull in May before a September mega-fight with Terence Crawford.
Alvarez, one of boxing's biggest commercial draws, has opened up about his decision to turn his back on the Paul fight.
The undisputed super-middleweight champion will instead defend his crown against Scull on May 3.
This will be followed by a highly anticipated clash with Crawford in September.
The decision marks a significant shift from earlier plans that appeared to be leading toward a showdown with Paul.
Paul had recently defeated heavyweight legend Mike Tyson last November, building momentum for what would have been a massive crossover event.
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Instead, Alvarez has prioritised traditional boxing matchups under his new Saudi deal.
Speaking to CBS Sports, Alvarez explained his decision: "I think I did the correct thing being with Turki Alalshikh."
"That's the way I feel. I think there is so much potential in the future and that's why we chose to be working with him."
The boxing superstar dismissed the Paul matchup as more spectacle than sport.
Canelo Alvarez has signed a blockbuster deal with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh
PA
"I don't even call [boxing Paul] a fight, it's more of an event than a fight," Alvarez said.
"That event can wait until I retire."
Alvarez made it clear he's currently focused on his boxing legacy rather than commercial opportunities.
"Because [Scull] is better for me [as an opponent] at this point in my career. I just want to continue making history."
Paul was left seething after the fight fell through, launching a scathing attack on Alvarez.
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"Time to expose him. So we had a signed contract to fight. Here you can see Canelo's signature and my signature to the right," Paul claimed.
He accused Alvarez of hypocrisy: "Claiming he's not fighting YouTubers, bulls***, look at the poster."
Paul also criticised Alvarez's choice of opponents: "Claiming he fights real fighters but he's fighting Crawford, a 135lb fighter, and running from a real fighter like David Benavidez."
The 28-year-old boldly declared himself "the new face of boxing" and claimed their potential matchup would have been the "biggest fight in boxing history."
