Former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has declared that a loss to Jake Paul would force him into retirement and seclusion.
Chavez Jr., the son of the legendary Chavez Sr., is scheduled to face the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul in California. The 39-year-old Mexican fighter stated that a defeat against the 11-1 American opponent would be so humiliating that he would be unable to face the public.
When directly asked if he would retire permanently if he lost, Chavez Jr. replied, “Yes, man.” He further elaborated through a translator that a defeat would signify the definitive end of his boxing career.
“He says if he loses this fight, he`s done. He`s done with boxing, he`ll never fight again,” translated Mexican comedian `Doknow`. “He`ll go into hiding for two years and then maybe come back because he`d be embarrassed to lose to a man like Jake Paul.”
Paul, 28, responded curtly to Chavez Jr.`s statement, suggesting, “Well, start planning it out buddy.”
Chavez Jr. captured the WBC title in 2011 and successfully defended it three times. In recent years, his career has been impacted by issues related to dedication and past substance abuse struggles, though he has now maintained sobriety for a year.
Meanwhile, Paul is coming off a recent victory against Mike Tyson. His only professional boxing defeat was a split decision against Tommy Fury in 2023, after which he has secured five consecutive wins.
Paul indicated that a win against Chavez Jr. could earn him a ranking with the WBC and WBA, potentially leading to a world title shot. He stated, “My goal is to become world champion and the WBA and WBC plan on ranking me depending on my performance. And once I`m ranked I can go for the title shot.”
He described Chavez Jr. as a “formidable opponent” and the scheduled ten-round bout as a “great test” to prepare him for a future world championship challenge.
Potential opponents for Paul, should he ascend the rankings, include current champions like WBC titlist Badou Jack, unified WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (who is also fighting on Paul`s undercard), and undefeated IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
