By: Sean Crose
In one sense, it can’t possibly be easy to be Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. Sons rarely live up to their father’s achievements, after all, and Chavez’ father is known as having been one of the greatest fighters in history. This has led to the junior Chavez taking a lot of abuse for supposedly being a product of nepotism. Chavez was almost able to put those charges to sleep with a single hard shot that almost knocked out middleweight dynamo Sergio Martinez in the last round of their 2012 battle. Sadly though, it’s been all downhill since then for Chavez, with losses to Canelo Alvarez, Daniel Jacobs and even former UFC great Anderson Silva popping up on his resume.
You have to feel a bit sorry for Chavez – yet there’s always another lucrative match down the road for the man. Sure enough enough, this summer, the now 39 year old will be squaring off against social media star turned popular boxer Jake Paul. After fighting Mike Tyson in a joke of a fight last year, Paul was looking for another big name. And although Chavez certainly isn’t as well known as Tyson, his name carries enough weight for him to find himself in another high profile match.
This fight, however, may prove to be somewhat interesting. When all is said and done, Paul is not a particularly bad fighter. He certainly isn’t great – his lone loss to Tommy Fury proved that – but he has heart as well as the ability to turn out an opponent’s lights in a single shot. Can Chavez find a way to flip over the Paul applecart when they meet on the 28th in Vegas? It’s an interesting question. “Does he have to be a world class fighter to beat Jake Paul?” pondered promoter Eddie Hearn (via Essentially Spirts). “Not necessarily.” Chavez does, however, need to embrace the fact that, showy as he is, Paul is more than just an easy paycheck. To the contrary, the Ohioan is hardworking and somewhat talented.
Chavez has not always had the reputation of treating his career like a serious minded pro, either. “Chavez, of course, once upon a time, many years ago, was a good fighter,” Hearn argued. “He’s just had a wild life, a wild ride, and you’ve just seen him deteriorate over the years.” Admittedly, it would be a shame to see the younger Chavez lose to Paul in the next few weeks. He might have no one to blame but himself if that proves to be the case, though. Besides, even with a loss, he may be able to find himself in another big fight. If you wonder what’s in a name, the career of Julio Ceasar Chavez Jr may provide you with an answer.
Images: Most Valuable Promotions
