A quick night... and an early retirement

Jake Paul isn’t holding back: this Saturday, he wants to leave no doubts and break a sweat as little as possible. “I’m going to knock him out in the first round,” he said at the press conference ahead of his fight against Julio César Chávez Jr. at the Honda Center in Anaheim. “It’s going to be a quick night, and I’m going to put on an outstanding performance. I’m not under any pressure,” he added, brimming with confidence.

The American, who rose to fame on YouTube before stepping into the ring, made his pro boxing debut in 2020 and holds a record of 11 wins (7 by knockout) and just one loss. His most recent bout was a win last November over Mike Tyson, who, at 58, came out of retirement for a much-hyped and highly controversial fight.

"I'll support him when he retires"

Far from toning it down, Paul claimed this fight would mark the end of his rival’s career. “I feel bad because I’m going to end Chávez Jr.’s career. I want to apologize to the fans in advance. And to you, Chávez—I’ll be there to support you when you retire,” he said without flinching.

Despite being heavily criticized by boxing media and former champions who see him as more of a showman than a real fighter, Paul hasn’t ruled out going after a world title if he gets past the former Mexican champ. “Right now I’m focused on Saturday. After that, I’ll think about whether it’s time to go for a belt.”

Chávez Jr. isn’t backing down

Julio César Chávez Jr., for his part, tried not to fall into the American’s media trap. At 39, with a turbulent career and well-documented battles with addiction, Julito still believes in his ability. “Whenever I step in the ring, it’s to win. I’m not going to lose, and I’m not going to retire,” he said firmly.

The Mexican fighter owns a record of 54 wins (34 by KO), six losses and one draw, but his recent form raises concerns: he’s lost three of his last six fights, and many experts believe his time at the top is coming to an end.

Still, he sees this fight as a golden opportunity to return to the spotlight. “I accepted this fight because Paul gets so much media attention for the nonsense he does on social media. I want to take advantage of that, win the fight, and gain visibility,” said the son of boxing legend Julio César Chávez.