Many already believe Jake Paul will take home the win on June 28. The reasons? Plenty. Yet, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the former WBC middleweight champion, is determined to silence doubters and set a new precedent. Coming off an almost three-year layoff and a unanimous decision win over former MMA fighter Uriah Hall last year, where he went six rounds and won by unanimous decision, the 39-year-old faces a difficult challenge against a younger, bigger Paul, that too for 10 rounds. Still, ring rust is something that can be worked through with enough determination.

In 2007, Mexican legend Erik Morales moved up to lightweight and challenged David Diaz for the WBC lightweight title. After a controversial loss, he announced his retirement out of frustration. But three years later, Morales returned, this time at welterweight, and went on to defeat José Alberto Gazo to capture the WBC International Welterweight title. If Morales could do it, so can Julio Chavez Jr., if he commits wholeheartedly. Now, in the lead-up to the fight, the 39-year-old sat down for a candid interview with Claudia Trejos of DAZN Boxing, where he opened up about his mindset heading into this career-defining clash.

“Do you feel any pressure with everyone watching you as always?” Trejos asked. Chavez Jr. admitted, “Yes, always. The storytelling is a form of pressure, but we can say that’s external pressure, but what we look for, what I seek. Don’t speak just for myself – It’s another fight, which I win. Because I say third time’s the charm. With Canelo Alvarez, I couldn’t because of weight issue and whatever. With Sergio Martinez, I lost the last round, and this is the third big one. So I will win this one.”

To jog your memory, Chavez Jr. weighed in at 164 pounds, just below the contracted limit of 164½ for his 2017 catchweight bout against Canelo Alvarez at T-Mobile Arena. Known for his battles on the scale, Chavez Jr. risked a $1 million fine per pound if he came in heavy. He ultimately made weight, though he appeared visibly drained. That moment, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena during Cinco de Mayo weekend, marked the end of what had been the most compelling storyline in the lead-up to their HBO Pay-Per-View clash. Chavez Jr. had accepted the catchweight largely due to a guaranteed $6 million purse.

But the thing is, Chavez Jr. hadn’t weighed that light since his 159-pound mark for the WBC middleweight title fight against Sergio Martinez in 2012, which ended in a unanimous decision loss. In the years that followed, his fights took place at super middleweight and even light heavyweight. Canelo, by contrast, had no trouble making the contracted weight, tipping the scales at a career-high 164 lbs. Prior to that, the heaviest he’d ever weighed for any of his 50 professional bouts was 155 lbs.

Now, Chavez Jr. believes that this upcoming bout is his “third big one,” and he’s confident that this time, he’ll come out victorious. If he does, he’ll become just the second fighter to hand Jake Paul a loss, following Tommy Fury. And while Chavez Jr. seems to be driven by redemption, the heat is very much mutual.

Jake Paul drops a chilling preview of fight night chaos

Yesterday, Jake Paul took to Instagram and shared a fight poster featuring himself and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., enhanced with an AI-generated effect. In the image, “El Gallo” could be seen warning Chavez Jr. that he’s going to lose at all costs. Alongside the visual, Jake Paul made his intentions clear, writing, “This little weasel Julio is doing a lot of talking,” before adding, “In 14 days I’m shutting his a** up for good and moving on to the belt.” Bold words. But can he truly deliver?

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., now 39, stands at 6-foot-1 with a 73-inch reach. Jake Paul, 28, matches him in height at 6′1″ (185 cm) but holds a slight reach advantage at 76 inches, not to mention the edge of youth. While Chavez Jr. is a former WBC middleweight world champion with three successful title defenses between 2011 and 2012, that’s a level Jake Paul hasn’t yet reached since turning professional just five years ago. Still, Paul draws confidence from his recent win over a gassed-out Mike Tyson, believing he can produce a similar outcome against Chavez Jr.

With both fighters bringing very different experiences and motivations into the ring, the outcome remains unpredictable. Though Jake Paul has reason to believe this fight could be his defining moment, Chavez Jr. sees it as a chance at redemption. So as the countdown to June 28 continues, the question is, who walks out with the win – Jake Paul or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.?