The boxing world has been taken by surprise. It’s only been a few days since the high-stakes bout between Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. concluded at Anaheim’s Honda Center. Now, in an unexpected twist, it has been revealed that federal authorities have arrested Chavez Jr., the son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez. As fans and followers are still trying to process the news, Jake Paul added fuel to the fire with a surprising message of his own.

Taking to social media, the Cleveland native dropped a name, one that fans have heard from him before. Since last year’s buildup to his fight with Mike Tyson, Paul has consistently called out Canelo Alvarez. In early January, the matchup between the two seemed closer than ever. But hopes were dashed when Canelo confirmed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. He’s now preparing for the second of those bouts, a blockbuster showdown with Terence Crawford in September.

In the wake of Chavez Jr.’s legal troubles, Jake Paul posted a short, cryptic message: “Canelo is next.” The post quickly stirred confusion and speculation across social media. Some fans interpreted the statement as a straightforward callout. Paul named Canelo as his next desired opponent. Others, however, weren’t so sure. One user responded bluntly: “To get deported???” a comment clearly referencing Chavez Jr.’s reported detention. According to sources, authorities arrested Chavez Jr. on Wednesday. The following day, multiple outlets reported that deportation proceedings against him were currently underway.

Both Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Canelo Alvarez are Mexican nationals. Canelo, born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, will turn 35 in just a couple of weeks. Like many Mexican fighters, he built his early career in his home country before transitioning to the U.S. market. Since 2010, most of his major fights have taken place in the United States, particularly at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Nonetheless, it won’t surprise fans if Jake Paul’s post indeed hinted at a future bout with Canelo.

Jake Paul still has his eyes on Canelo

Following his widely viewed Netflix event with Mike Tyson last November, Paul told Ariel Helwani, “Canelo needs me, so I’m not even going to try and call him out, but he knows he wants the payday, so he knows where the money man’s at.” When the potential fight fell through earlier this year, Paul didn’t hold back. Mocking Canelo’s remarks that he only fights ‘real fighters,’ the Cleveland native criticized the Mexican superstar for ‘ducking’ him. Despite that, Paul appears unwilling to let go of the idea of sharing the ring with the pound-for-pound great.

Alongside names like Gervonta Davis and Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez remains firmly on Jake Paul’s radar. And now, following his victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., a former middleweight world champion, Paul earned a WBA cruiserweight ranking. So he could potentially set his sights on a cruiserweight title bout.

If Jake Paul does go on to win a legitimate world title, the question remains: will Canelo still choose to ignore him?

What do you think is the real reason behind Jake Paul bringing up Canelo’s name again?