Love Them Or Hate Them, Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Are Back

Critics blast them. Fans adore them. Their boxing pedigrees and backgrounds couldn’t be more different. When Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. share a ring on Saturday night in Anaheim, California, it will all be on display for fans to cheer or catcall. What they won’t feel is indifferent.

Jake “El Gallo de Dorado” Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) faces his first test against a legitimate boxer, former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. of Mexico (54-6-1, 34 KOs) at the Honda Center airing live as part of a six fight card on DAZN PPV at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

How much does former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. have to offer against Jake Paul on Saturday? Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Cost of the PPV is $59.99. Note: DAZN is also offering a bundle discount if a second PPV for either Ring III/Berlanga vs. Sheraz or Usyk vs. Dubois 2 is purchased at the same time.

Paul and Chavez Jr. Trash It Up

Paul, who is also co-promoter with partner Nakisa Bidarian of Most Valuable Promotions, and Chavez Jr. engaged in the expected spicy trash talk at the final pre-fight news conference on Thursday at the Honda Center, with fans in attendance. For those hanging on every word, watch it all here.

Most fans present were cheering for Chavez Jr., as they did at the public workout earlier in the week. Despite a career full of ups and even more downs, including quitting in at least two major fights against Andrzej Fonfara and Daniel Jacobs, lackluster training, and battles with addiction, they remain loyal and still believe in Chavez Jr.

His biggest fan is his famous father, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. Never has Chavez Sr. expressed such certainty about his son’s ability to win.

Whatever you think about Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., his devoted fans came out with enthusiasm to support him during fight week events. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promtions

“Jake Paul just fought against Mike Tyson, who didn’t even throw one punch. This is not Mike Tyson. You are going to get your ass whooped,” said Chavez Sr. via translation by Claudia Trejos, adding some spicy cursing she declined to translate.

“There is no way Jake Paul will win. Julio’s going in throwing some serious punches, and you’ll be running like a chicken without a head,” said Chavez Jr. to “El Gallo” Paul.

Paul has his own believer in Golden Boy promoter and former world champion Oscar De La Hoya, who famously defeated the Hall of Fame legend twice. Does he see himself in Paul?

Jake Paul has a serious believer: Hall of Famer and his co-promoter Oscar De La Hoya. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

De La Hoya originally predicted Paul would win in a split decision over Chavez Jr. Now, De La Hoya believes it will be an outright victory.

“Jake Paul, he’s here to win. He’s not messing around. The fact that a lot of people keep counting him out, that don’t believe in him, ‘you’re just a YouTuber,’ this and that. In the meantime, he’s in the lab, he’s in the gym, getting ready, getting stronger, getting faster.

“Guess what? It’s sneaking up on us. Jake Paul is finally ready for the big stage if he beats Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., that’s it. I’m dropping the mike!” said De La Hoya.

Jake Paul Favored By Oddsmakers

Jake Paul has won respect for his work ethic, if not his ring skills. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Paul is between a minus-575 to minus-700 favorite; Chavez Jr. a plus-400 underdog. There is no denying Chavez Jr. has a solid resume despite his failures, but it’s well behind him at 39 years old with a 3-2 record in his last five fights, with just one fight since 2021.

The continuing issue for Chavez Jr. wasn’t his skill; it was his will. He has infamously slacked off during training camps, frustrating trainers, including Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, who put up with Chavez Jr.’s misbehavior largely out of respect for his father.

Paul is late to boxing, but he trains hard and is taking his boxing ambitions seriously. He is also an excellent matchmaker for himself. He chooses fighters with flaws and name recognition, and he’s chosen well.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. swears he’s changed his ways and has dedicated himself to clean living and hard training. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

What drives both of them isn’t the fans. It’s the haters. Competitive people like Jake Paul, and yes, Chavez Jr., have an endless thirst to prove the haters wrong. They live for it. Hate isn’t the opposition of love; it’s indifference.

Championship Co-Main Event: Zurdo vs Dorticós

Unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez faces a still dangerous veteran in Yuniel Dorticós. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

No one really thinks Paul will be ready to take on the winner of the co-main fight, an elite cruiserweight unification bout between WBO and WBA World Cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez of Mexico (47-1, 30 KOs) and former IBF and WBA World Cruiserweight champion Yuniel  of Cuba (27-2, 25 KOs). Fans will see for themselves what dedicated boxers can deliver in the co-main which is worth the price of the pay-per-view.

The veteran Dorticós insists he’s still in his prime. “I’m going to show you guys that 39 years is really nothing. On Saturday, we’re going to have a war.”

Zurdo Ramirez has flashed his championship belts all during fight week. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Ramirez, flashing his two impressive championship belts like armor, said he also expected a war. “We’ll see why Zurdo Ramirez is the unified champion.” Should Ramirez win, he hopes to take on the IBF champion, the much-feared Jai Opetaia of Australia.

Holly Holm Leads Solid Undercard Matchups

Veteran champion Holly Holm makes her return to boxing after a solid run in MMA. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Most Valuable Promotions and Golden Boy Boxing will deliver a solid undercard with competitive matchups.

Among the most intriguing is the return to boxing by former UFC bantamweight champion and pound-for-pound great Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (33-2-3, 9 KOs).  Holm, age 43, will attempt a run at winning a title in a fourth weight division, starting Saturday against undefeated Yolanda Vega Ochoa of Mexico (10-0, 1 KO), who is 13 years younger.  

Holly Holm takes on undefeated Mexican Yolanda Vega. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

“What my heart is telling me to do right now is to come back to boxing,” said Holm. “Out of all the years I’ve boxed before, I never got to fight at this weight class, and my majority of my whole MMA career was at this weight class, and I feel like it’s unfinished business to come back and be able to fight in a fourth division and try and go for another title,” explained Holm of her comeback, who feels she’s a better fighter now 10 years after leaving boxing.

Ochoa said she’s proud to face someone like Holm with her experience as an opponent, “but I think it’s going to be time for her to realize that this is the time for the new generation and she needs to retire.”

Undefeated MVP welterweight Avious “Tha Underdog” Griffin of Chattanooga (17-0, 16 KOs), takes on Julian Rodriguez of New Jersey (23-1, 14 KOs) for a minor WBC title.

Floyd Schofield and Tevin Farmer both badly need a victory on Saturday. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Also currently undefeated, WBA International Lightweight champion Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield of Austin (18-0, 12 KOs) squares up against IBF Super Featherweight champion Tevin Farmer of Philadelphia (33-8-1, 8 KOs) in a fight full of consequences.

Farmer has lost three fights in a row, but all were competitive and hotly disputed decisions against William Zepeda twice and Raymond Muratalla. The performances have raised Farmer’s profile of late. Schofield’s career has stalled from a promising start, and this fight will slam some doors on the loser.

Raul Curiel and Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez put up their undefeated records Saturday. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Undefeated Mexican welterweight standout Raul “Cugar” Curiel (15-0-1, 13 KOs) faces Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez of Uruguay (16-0-1, 9 KOs), the first bout for Rodriguez outside his native country.

John “Scrappy” Ramirez is a crowd pleasing Southern California favorite. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Super flyweight prospect John “Scrappy“ Ramirez of East Los Angeles (14-1, 9 KOs) is scheduled to face Salito Henderson (10-2, 7 KOs) of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Golden Boy’s impressive welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte of Bakersfield (7-0, 7 KOs) will try to keep his perfect knockout streak intact against Kevin Johnson of Las Vegas via Detroit (12-6, 8 KOs).