Jake Paul has used Canelo Alvarez’s October 31 fight against Christian Mbilli to renew his claim that the Mexican star is afraid to face him. The Halloween joke gets Paul into the conversation, but it does little to strengthen his sporting case for the matchup.
Paul wants a reaction. An argument with Canelo would give him something to promote without having to earn the opportunity against ranked contenders.
“Canelo fighting on Halloween is perfect,” Paul wrote on X. “He’s been dressed up as a guy who’s scared of me for three years.”
There is commercial history behind the complaint. Canelo signed a four-fight Riyadh Season deal in February 2025, moving away from a proposed Paul matchup. Paul can resent losing that opportunity, but choosing another substantial agreement does not establish fear.
Canelo is now preparing to challenge Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title in Riyadh. Paul is trying to turn that event into a discussion about himself.
Silence would be Canelo’s strongest dismissal. Leaving the jab unanswered treats Paul like a spectator shouting from the cheap seats. A rebuttal gives him another clip to circulate; ignoring him leaves Paul carrying the argument alone.
There is also Alalshikh’s role to consider. If Mbilli represents the third fight of the four-fight agreement, Paul would need the event backer to support using the remaining bout on him. That looks unlikely when an established contender or major rematch could offer greater sporting significance.
For fans who judge credibility through opposition, the costume joke changes nothing. Calling Canelo scared is easier than beating contenders who could establish a legitimate claim to the fight.
Paul’s commercial appeal is clear. His sporting case needs work. If he wants recognition as a serious prizefighter, climbing the rankings would do more for him than another social media lottery ticket.