Jake Paul to face former World Champion in next bout

Jake Paul is set to return to the ring this summer in a high-stakes clash against former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez Jr., following his recent victory over Mike Tyson in a blockbuster Netflix event.

According to Mike Coppinger of The Ring magazine, the YouTuber-turned-boxer will face Chávez Jr. (54-6-1) in a cruiserweight bout.

The fight marks a major step up for Paul as he continues to build his résumé against more seasoned opponents.

Chávez Jr., the son of boxing legend and Hall of Famer Julio César Chávez Sr. — widely regarded as the greatest Mexican fighter of all time — has previously called out Paul.

The callout came after Chávez Jr. defeated former UFC fighter Uriah Hall in July 2024.

The 38-year-old Mexican fighter held the WBC Middleweight title from 2011 to 2012.

Since Paul’s professional debut, Chávez Jr. has fought only five times, winning three of those bouts. His most recent fight was a unanimous decision victory over Hall on the undercard of Paul’s win against Mike Perry.

Paul (11-1, 7 KOs), 28, last fought on November 15, 2024, earning a unanimous decision win over Hall of Famer and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

His only professional loss came against Tommy Fury in February 2023. Paul holds wins over former UFC stars Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz, and Anderson Silva.

Interestingly, both Paul and Chávez Jr. share a common opponent in Silva. Chávez Jr. lost to the former UFC middleweight champion in 2021, while Paul defeated Silva via unanimous decision in 2022.