Jake Paul Finds Next Fight vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
Jake Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) will be fighting again on June 28 against former WBC Middleweight Champion, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (54-6-1, 34 KOs). The bout will take place at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. There is a 200-pound weight limit, and it is scheduled for 10 rounds. The fight is promoted by Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, run by boxing hall of famer Oscar De La Hoya. It will air on DAZN pay-per-view.
How Did We Get Here?
The announcement for this meeting comes after a potential Paul and Canelo Alvarez deal fell through. Alvarez instead signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season that includes a battle with Terence Crawford. Paul tried to get a deal done with Gervonta “Tank” Davis afterward. After a controversial majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr., Davis is expected to look for an immediate rematch. This led to the Chavez deal getting done.
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian told ESPN, “Chavez Jr. has always been on the short list of fighters that Jake Paul has targeted. “After the Tyson fight, the original plan was to fight Chavez Jr. next. However, the Canelo opportunity presented itself, and we paused discussions with Chavez.”
Recent Fights
This past November, Paul, 28, defeated former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 58, by unanimous decision in a record-breaking Netflix event. Chavez is a much younger opponent than Tyson, at age 39. However, Chavez hasn’t held a title since 2012, when he lost the WBC belt to Sergio Martinez. Paul has faced several former MMA fighters, including Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, Mike Perry, and Nate Diaz. He has also outweighed most of his opponents by a significant margin.
The son of the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, he started his career with a 46-0-1 record and has been 8-6 since. He faced Alvarez in 2017 and lost by unanimous decision. He lost every round on all three scorecards. In 2021, he lost to former UFC champion Anderson Silva by split decision. His last fight resulted in a unanimous decision 6-round win over former MMA fighter Uriah Hall last July. Chavez has failed to make weight and failed drug tests in the past.
Final Thoughts
Several experts, including the great De La Hoya, have shared positive thoughts on Paul’s potential. It appears as though he takes his training, nutrition, and conditioning seriously when preparing for a fight. However, if he does want to be a world champion, he needs to start fighting serious boxers. Paul has to eventually meet fighters in their primes instead of near senior citizens or has-beens. Then maybe he can be taken seriously as a championship contender.
