Jake Paul will be fighting former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. next summer. This isn’t the big fight that the YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake (11-7 KOs) has been targeting recently, but it’s another notable ex-world champion who creates some interest with fans. The fight will not be shown on Netflix.
Paul’s Misjudgment
If Jake thinks this fight is going to interest the boxing world, he’s misjudged fans because this is an awful choice. Chavez Jr’s reputation is in the mud due to his many losses and poor performances since 2012. Jake should have picked an active fighter that fans respect instead of this old guy. Chavez Jr. is pushing 40 and hasn’t beaten a top-tier fighter in years.
The 22-year-old pro Chavez Jr. (54-6-1, 34 KOs) hasn’t been a relevant fighter in many years since losing his WBC 160-lb title to Sergio Martinez on September 15, 2012. That defeat took the air out of Chavez Jr’s career, and it’s been all downhill ever since. He seemed to lose ambition after that defeat. The hefty payday Chavez Jr. got for the fight may have contributed to him losing focus on his career. He enjoyed his money and never took it seriously again.
Mike Coppinger reported the news of Jake vs. Chavez Jr. Paul had shown interest recently in fighting Anthony Joshua, Canelo Alvarez, and Gervonta Davis. He’s targeting popular fighters that the fans would want to pay to see. He obviously picked the wrong one by choosing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., because that fight won’t sell.
Location Unknown
There is no word yet on where Jake plans to stage the fight with Chavez Jr. It would be a good idea to take it to Mexico. It’s not a big enough fight to bring it to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Chavez Jr. doesn’t have enough fans to fill the stadium, and Jake’s followers aren’t going to turn up in large numbers to see him fight the 39-year-old Chavez Jr. He’s too much of a fossil.