With just over a day to go until both Paul and Chavez Jr go head-to-head in the ring, many have offered their predictions for the cruiserweight showdown
Ahead of Jake Paul‘s blockbuster showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, many big names have weighed in and offered their prediction for the dust-up.
The pair are scheduled to go head-to-head in a cruiserweight showdown on Saturday night in Anaheim. Paul has not fought since defeating boxing legend Mike Tyson back in November. Despite failing to get the knockout, the YouTuber-turned-boxer scored a convincing victory on points.
Chavez Jr ended a three years hiatus last July when he defeated former UFC star Uriah Hall. With over 60 professional bouts to his name, Chavez Jr has faced some big names in the sport of boxing, including Andy Lee, Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs. The 39-year-old is confident he can get the job done on fight night – but knows he is in for a tough night at the office.
With just one more sleep until the clash, several names within the sport of boxing have given their official predictions for the cruiserweight contest. Speaking on his YouTube channel THE FIGHT, legendary trainer-turned-analyst Teddy Atlas gave one final insight. “Yes he’s [Chavez Jr] a former world champion, he earned that, he earned that himself, that’s not from the father, but a lot of it is the father’s name at this point,” he said.
“And with all the inactivity, all the lifestyle issues, everything else, I don’t see Chavez winning, and with his past performances, you said it bud, he beat [Uriah] Hall, Hall was very competitive with him, I give credit to Hall, Hall looked pretty damn good I was impressed with the boxing ability of Hall who wasn’t a boxer. Paul’s gonna beat him. Paul doesn’t pick guys so he’ll look stupid, he picks guys so he can sell it, he picks guys that do have the chance to give some entertainment element and some competitive element, but all of these elements are picked to be in favour of Paul, again, what are you gonna do, get mad at him?
“For doing what anyone out there would do if they had the opportunity or the ability or the guts because it does take guts to put yourself out there the way Paul does, I don’t care if you hate him or like him, it does. I don’t care if you like what I’m saying or don’t like what I’m saying because I’m saying what needs to be said, not based on any biases, not based on anything other than what the facts tell me. So, I like Paul to win the fight, I think it’ll go the distance.”
Boxing legend Timothy Bradley Jr also offered his opinion for the clash and is also backing Paul to win, stating: “I believe the difference in experience, Chavez’s natural feel for the ring against Paul’s ruthless, undeniable drive to prove himself could be the subtle decider of who wins So, can Chavez beat Paul? Absolutely. But I don’t think he will.”
Another boxing great, Shawn Porter, offered a short and snappy prediction and believes Paul will get his hand raised. Speaking on The Porter Way Podcast, he said: “I got Jake Paul by KO.” Roy Jones Jr will be a keen viewer this weekend and is also tipping the ‘Problem Child’ to win. In an interview with Slingo, he said: “They know that he [Jake] beat Anderson Silva, and Anderson beat Chavez. So if he beat Chavez and Jake beat him, why should we think Jake won’t beat Chavez? Styles make fights.
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Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will fight on Saturday exclusively on DAZN with the PPV coming with seven days free access to the streaming platform included in the price.
“People love bad losses or big money. Money is one thing, bad losing and a guy getting upset is another – people want to see that. It’s intriguing, because we never know which Julio Chavez Jr will show up … I don’t know if he takes it seriously any more. I think this is just a money grab for him, but if he came out and tried, he is capable of beating anybody. He was a pretty good boxer, he can upset anybody, if he comes out and tries, but he has done nothing lately to make the American public think that he is going to come out and try. I think Jake stops him in the fifth or the sixth round.”
One individual who is fully backing Chavez Jr is fellow countryman, Canelo Alvarez. In an interview with Seconds Out, ‘Saul’ said: “Yeah [Chavez can win]. I obviously support Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I hope he wins. [If] he prepares himself really good and takes it seriously he beats him.”
Two-time world champion Jose Luis Castillo called Paul a “four-to-six round boxer” and advised Chavez Jr to “use his savvy” to take down the social media star. In an interview with El Cinch, he revealed: “Well, Jake Paul is basically a four- or six-round boxer. Julio has the experience; he hits hard. He’s been knocked down, but he can take it.
“What he has to do is box a little smart and use his savvy. The longer the fight goes, the more it favors Julio. Maybe Julio’s experience is what will help him pull through if he prepares well. A win for Chávez Jr. over Jake Paul would be like a gold bar falling in his lap. It would reopen doors for him in the boxing world.”
Former two-time heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury recently picked his side ahead of the upcoming contest. “Get up there, viva Mexico! All the best boys, I hope the training has gone well, and I hope Chavez is doing good,” he said. “Can’t do any more than train your b******s off in the gym and put the work in and go in there and get the job done. Man’s a former WBC middleweight world champion, son of a legend, so he can do his best, that it, do your best, put on a show, go in there and get paid and get put of there, that’s what I say. All the best, good luck.”
