Jake Paul returns to the boxing ring to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a 10-round cruiserweight bout on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California (DAZN PPV).
Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) is riding a five-fight winning streak since losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023. Paul defeated former heavyweight king Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in November.
Chavez (54-6-1, 34 KOs) is a former WBC middleweight world champion. He won the title with a majority decision win against Sebastian Zbik in June 2011, and made three successful defenses. Chavez will be fighting at cruiserweight for the third consecutive fight.
There’s a lot at stake for Paul in this fight. With a victory over Chavez, Paul could enter the WBC rankings at 200 pounds, getting a step closer to his goal of fighting for a world title.
“The WBC ratings committee has been following Jake Paul’s career,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN. “If he defeats Chavez, and depending on how the fight plays out, the committee will make the decision. It’s very likely [Paul will be ranked] if he wins convincingly.”
Also on the card, Gilberto Ramirez puts his WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles on the line against Yuniel Dorticos, and Hall of Famer Holly Holm makes her return to boxing after 12 years away. She faces Yolanda Vega in a lightweight bout.
Stay here for live updates, results and round-by-round analysis from Andreas Hale.
Source: espn.com