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The time has come for Jake Paul to really impress
Jake Paul faces another former world champion from a bygone era this weekend when he steps into the ring with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr .
The boasts and promises from ‘The Problem Child’ are consistent as ever heading into battle as he once again vowed to deliver an emphatic victory whilst also maintaining that the day will come when he becomes world champion .
For that to happen, this latest path on that quest, must be one that Paul handles impressively, but is he capable of disposing of Chavez Jr in a vicious and simple manner? The answer is simple – he has to if his boxing credentials are ever to be taken seriously.
Paul’s improvements, notable ones that some boxing traditionalists will not admit, have been identified in recent years as his time in the gym under solid tutelage has seen him master some old crafts that have helped in certain situations.
At the level he operates at, against fellow novices or boxing neophytes, Paul looks comfortable under pressure, he knows how to smother and spoil, and he is not afraid to let his hands go.
That has allowed him to dominate certain fighters, but never enough to make observers fully back him when the going might get tough.
Although Paul may have his backers when he takes on the likes of Mike Tyson, a man approaching 60 who had been inactive for the best part of 20 years, and even Chavez Jr, a former middleweight ruler now intent on doing as little as possible in the ring, will those supporting his chances of victory at this echelon of the sport consider him a threat against any current ranked contender?
Ask plenty in the know and they will tell you that numerous former world champions, inactive for many years, would be too smart and experienced for Paul. Numerous spats with Carl Froch and Tony Bellew have created speculation the retired Brits could one day be opposing Paul in the ring, and there would be many backing the previous world champions.
Take that forward a few spaces and assess the current world champions around the cruiserweight division Paul operates in. Who do you see who Paul could defeat, or even be competitive against?
Jai Opetaia? Zurdo Ramirez? Dmitry Bivol? Artur Beterbiev? A lengthy list of dangerous men sit comfortably in the positions Paul believes he is capable of filling, and they do not appear to be going anywhere just yet.
What about the contenders a level below, who are more than capable of getting their hands on a world title anywhere between light-heavyweight and the land of boxing’s giants? Chris Billam-Smith? Anthony Yarde? Viddal Riley? Is this an area where Paul is targeting?
One that could realistically aid his world title hopes, or is his current strategy of targeting marketable greats from yesteryear enough to quench his fighting thirst?
If it is the former, then Paul must start proving that. Tyson, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz have all taken Paul the distance in recent bouts. If the popular Ohioan can end Chavez Jr’s hopes before the final bell, something Canelo Alvarez could not manage, then he will every right to dream bigger.
Paul will always have his doubters in boxing, the toughest of sports, but he also holds the power to convince them his aspirations are genuine and that must start this Saturday night.
Dillian Whyte – Boxing's poster boy for how quickly things can change
Three years is a long time in boxing. Ask Dillian Whyte.
In 2022, Whyte was receiving a windfall for a huge world title fight against Tyson Fury at Wembley Stadium and it was a contest that saw him considered a live underdog.
Heading into that eagerly-anticpated showdown, one that Frank Warren had spent over £30m to stage, Whyte had reached that position by moving his way past several respected contenders including Joseph Parker and Derek Chisora.
When the action got underway, Fury enjoyed one of the easiest nights of his professional career as he dominated every single session before ending matters with a sixth-round uppercut .
Whyte’s wait for a world title shot had been a lengthy one. It was all over in the blink of an eye.
Rebounding from that major setback, Whyte returned later that year to face Jermaine Franklin, a solid American who was intended to be an opponent to restore Whyte’s confidence. But when the fight went the full distance with Whyte very fortunate to get the nod, a hangover from the Fury fight, or perhaps a long, tough career, appeared to be evident.
A rematch with Anthony Joshua was called off when Whyte failed a drug test in 2023 and that ensured the entire year was one blighted with inactivity as his road back to title contention was obstructed with controversy.
Two low profile fights in 2024 against Christian Hammer and Ebenezer Tetteh failed to provide any clarification on what Whyte has left as a serious contender, but that should be made clearer on August 16 when he faces Moses Itauma in Saudi Arabia.
A prime target for the leading heavyweight three years ago, Whyte is now seen, by some, as the sacrificial lamb for boxing’s next big thing.
Itauma has dazzled since turning professional. With his team making comparisons outside the boxing realm to figures such as Lionel Messi and Roger Federer , Whyte can derail one of boxing’s biggest ever hype trains, but is that enough motivation for a man who sat in the division's top five for such a long time?
Later this summer, Whyte will have caused one of the biggest shocks of 2024 despite the advantage of experience and wisdom. Or he will have endured one of the most alarming drops in the modern era succumbing to the fighter who will perhaps be the face of a new one?
Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will be streamed exclusively on DAZN PPV, this Saturday, June 28. Buy the PPV now here
