Latest news with #ChavezSr
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.'s goal is clear: 'I want to end Jake Paul's career'
Jake Paul, left, and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. face off during a news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles on May 14, 2025, as Oscar De La Hoya looks on. (Photo by) Julio César Chávez Jr. will look to put a stop to Jake Paul's lucrative boxing journey when the pair clash June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. "Yes [I'm motivated to end Paul's career]," Chávez Jr. told Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Wednesday. "[I still think] that I'm better than Jake Paul, so I think after this fight maybe Jake continues to fight [and tries] to be a [better] boxer, but I don't think he has [the] skills and everything [necessary to] win [against me]. I want to end Jake Paul's career." Advertisement For Chávez, it's an opportunity that has arrived at a time when he wants to resurrect himself in the sport. The son of legendary Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Sr., the younger Chávez held the WBC middleweight title from 2011-12 and continued to compete at a high level until his 2019 loss to Daniel Jacobs. Chávez incited a small-scale riot at the PHX Arena in Phoenix that night after Chávez, who had weighed in five pounds over the limit for the fight, quit on his stool after just five rounds. Chavez Sr. famously put his head in his hands after learning of his son's decision. Chávez's weight miss and refusal to fight on when things got tough were clear signs his heart was no longer in the sport. Regardless, he continued to compete at a lower level after the Jacobs fight, and now 20 months alcohol-free, Chavez hopes to make another run at the top of the sport — and a win over Paul could be the catalyst for his comeback. Advertisement "I liked the idea [of fighting Paul] because I think the fight [has come at the right time]," Chávez said. "I [thought] about [taking the fight because] Jake is very popular, [and] I'm pretty sure that I'll win this fight. "I want to [make it] clear that I'm still here. I'm not old, and I take this sport seriously. [I] train hard [and I'm] disciplined. I'm 39, so I don't think I'm old. I still feel good in the gym ... I'm still a good fighter. So I want to fight better opposition after this fight, and that's why I take this fight. "Now I'm disciplined, I'm focused, I want to finish the fight [with Paul with a] win and take this opportunity to be back in real boxing. That's my goal." In recent days, Paul has claimed his team has begun talks to face unified WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez and WBC cruiserweight titleist Badou Jack in 2026. Chávez hopes a win over Paul will be enough to replace him in the conversation to take on some of the best fighters boxing has to offer. Advertisement "What I want [to do is to fight] the best," Chávez said. "I'd love to fight "Zurdo" Ramirez. I'd love to fight [another] cruiserweight champion — [Jai] Opetaia is a very strong guy. ... I want that [fight]. You know why? I'm here because I want to fight the best." "If Opetaia offers me [a fight with him], if Ramirez offers me [a fight] after [the Paul] fight, or after [the Paul] fight and another fight, I'm there. I'm ready to fight [undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry] Bivol at cruiserweight [or Artur Beterbiev]." Chávez and Paul share one common opponent: Former UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. Paul won a unanimous decision over Silva in October 2022, while Chávez lost a split decision to Silva the year before in Mexico. Advertisement Contrasting results in their respective bouts with Silva is perhaps what gives Paul the confidence to believe he can defeat another former world boxing champion. Chávez, however, insists that he was not at his best against Silva and that Paul shouldn't put too much into that fight. "[I was in a] very bad situation at that time," Chávez said of the Anderson fight. "But in boxing, there's no excuses. What happened, happened. Of course, I feel bad about this situation — to lose to a UFC fighter for years because I'm not in shape. When I'm not in shape, I don't feel happy with myself, [or] with my performance — no matter what happens, if I win or lose. "These things, like the fight with Silva and a couple of other fights, make the UFC fighters [and] other people [think] that [Paul] can beat real boxers. I don't think that's possible. When you're a real boxer [and] you train right, it's different." Despite Paul holding a win over a fighter that Chávez couldn't beat, Chávez isn't impressed with Paul's boxing ability. "I respect all fighters in general, but I don't have [anything] significant to respect [about] Jake [to say he is a] good fighter. He's a real fighter — he's a fighter now. He has 11 fights. But that's it, he's nothing special. He's strong, that's it."
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr says there's ‘no way' his son gets ‘embarrassed' by Jake Paul
Boxing great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr cannot fathom a world where his son is beaten by Jake Paul after 'The Problem Child' vowed to 'embarrass' the former world champion. Paul, 28, is set to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in California on June 28, coming into his next in-ring bout off the back of beating 58-year-old Mike Tyson back in November. The American remains a highly divisive figure in the sport but having mainly boxed MMA fighters in his journey so far, he now faces the test of Chavez Jr, a former WBC middleweight champion. Chavez Jr, 39, has won 53 of his 61 fights, but has only competed once since 2021 - a lacklustre decision win over ex-UFC star Uriah Hall. Nevertheless, Chavez Sr, 62, is still confident Paul doesn't stand a chance against his son. "Jake Paul is young and strong, but he's never faced a fighter like my son," Chavez Sr said at Wednesday's news conference. "I would've given Mike Tyson a better fight. He didn't throw one punch the whole fight. "I haven't seen him train at this level for many years. If he keeps this up until the fight, there is no way Jake Paul is going to beat my son.' A former Disney Channel child actor, Paul has amassed a record of 11 wins since making his jump into boxing, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury in 2023. Taking on a man who has previously gone the distance with pound-for-pound superstar Canelo Alvarez, Paul is raring to humiliate the former champion in his pursuit of an unlikely cruiserweight title shot. "This is his toughest fight to date, and I'm going to embarrass him and make him quit like he always does," Paul said. "This guy is a great fighter, and I want to test myself against the best in the world. "Going from Disney Channel to YouTube to world champion in six to seven years? That's the most relatable and best sports story that any kid can get behind.'
