ANAHEIM, California – Jake Paul’s push for exceeding what Saul “Canelo” Alvarez did to Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr was not fulfilled, but by defeating the son of the Mexican legend, Paul may be taking a step toward something few believed possible.
With WBA President Gilberto Ramirez saying Saturday night that he endorses making Paul a top-15-ranked fighter eligible for a title shot, Paul executed the necessary qualifier by clearly defeating Chavez by unanimous decision scores of 99-91, 97-93, 98-92 at Honda Center.
“I’m really him,” said Paul, 12-1 (7 KOs), in the ring afterward to a booing crowd. “I just beat your boy’s ass.”
Paul said he was unimpressed by WBA-WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, who defeated Cuba’s Yuniel Dorticos in the co-main event, calling Ramirez “slow as shit.”
Yet given Paul’s drawing power as a social media influencer and YouTuber with more than 100 million followers, don’t be surprised to see WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman follow Mendoza’s lead and allow for Paul to be ranked for 41-year-old WBC titleholder Badou Jack.
Paul called out both Ramirez and Jack, along with former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshiua, lightweight belt holder Gervonta Davis and the only man to beat Paul – Tommy Fury – after the fight.
“Take a number,” he said.
Paul, 28, won the bout mostly because of his jab and Chavez’s inactivity, which perfectly mirrored the son of the Mexican legend’s lethargic 2017 showing against Alvarez. That bout was also decided by the scorecards.
“He’s a tough, tough guy who’s never been stopped. I respect Mexican warriors,” Paul said of Chavez Jnr, 54-7-1 (34 KOs), a former middleweight titleholder.
Paul did absorb some powerful blows by Chavez in the second half of the bout, but as he estimated, “I only got hit 10 times … he just survived. Easy work. I never got hurt. I want tougher fighters. I’m just getting warmed up in this shit.”
Chavez’s best work was saved for the ninth and 10th rounds, but it was far too little, far too late – although the effectiveness of his punches once he became active will encourage other former or current titlists lobbying to fight Paul.
“I lost the first five rounds, I tried to win the rest,” Chavez Jnr said. “He;s strong, a good boxer. I don’t think he’s ready for the champions.”
Paul said he’ll seek to fight “as soon as possible. I’ll fight anyone, anyplace.”
He didn’t buy Chavez Jnr’s opinion and celebrated the record live gate for a combat sports event at Honda Center.
“Self-belief … I’m a self-made [man],” Paul said. “I run this shit.”
Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.
