North Hollywood, California – A decade has passed, and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has grown larger than I recalled—not overly heavy, but at 39, he appears more solid in his frame, especially around his bones, wrists, and ankles. Despite this, under his loose cotton sweats, it’s hard not to question if he can still make the 200-pound cruiserweight limit for his upcoming fight against Jake Paul at the Honda Center in Anaheim this Saturday. This should be no surprise as Chavez Jr.’s career has long been unpredictable.
To clarify, I am somewhat of a fan. I first interviewed him and his father during a 2015 training camp in Lake Tahoe, capturing the essence of a son growing up under Mexico’s most renowned boxing name, the son of an all-time great fighter who was then not as celebrated as he would become. Since then, Chavez Jr.—a former WBC middleweight champion—has compiled a disturbing 6-5 record. Among those losses was UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva, who, though new to boxing, still bested him, and now Paul has also defeated Chavez Jr. He has even quit mid-fight twice by sitting on stools. His struggles extend beyond the ring; 18 months ago, he was arrested on gun charges and later entered a residential rehabilitation program. His last win came in July against another aging fighter, Vlasis Hall. Nonetheless, I still root for him, as my earlier interviews offered a glimpse of his vulnerable side.
At the recent press conference for the match, I was genuinely surprised by Jake Paul’s sharp provocations. Paul has a knack for finding his opponent’s weaknesses and exploiting them. He called Chavez Jr. a “Mexican embarrassment,” said he belonged on the Disney Channel, and mocked his drug problems, asserting that Chavez Jr. couldn’t beat either him or his addiction. What was worse, Paul also took a jab at Chavez Sr., who sat nearby, expressing disbelief that Paul could defeat his son, claiming he had never seen Junior train so hard. Paul responded confidently to these comments.
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., born in 1962, is a product of a harsh upbringing marked by violence and alcoholism, inherited from his own father. His family lived in poor conditions linked to the violent Sinaloa drug cartel area. Boxing, however, lifted him and other impoverished fighters like Roberto Duran and Mike Tyson into a kind of fighting royalty. Chavez Sr. once told me he always had a burning desire to be someone great in boxing, a drive that led him to outshine other legendary fighters such as Edwin Rosario and Roger Mayweather.
Fans of a certain era remember Junior as a young boy with a red headband, perched on his uncle’s shoulders during his father’s ring entrances. However, Junior recalls a much darker childhood, marked by his father’s addiction to alcohol and cocaine, creating a chaotic environment akin to living in a cartel’s shadow. He candidly spoke about how addiction consumed his father every moment, severely impacting their lives.
Junior spoke of how local kids would ask his father for money, and his father would offer cash to anyone who could beat Junior. Despite the turmoil, his father was proud when Junior won fights. Junior admitted boxing was his way to attain his father’s love but that he still harbored anger toward his father’s addiction. Interestingly, Junior was the one who eventually took his father to rehab in 2011, following a plan by his stepmother, ensuring his father got help while under anesthesia during surgery.
Over the last decade, it’s unclear how much healing has taken place between Junior and Senior or why Junior continues to fight, as comparisons to his legendary father are inevitable and daunting. Junior, once an overachiever despite no amateur career, won the middleweight title in 2011 and challenged top fighters. Yet, injuries and defeats have since overshadowed his career, along with battles with alcohol and drugs, which have disrupted his training and focus. His recent training seems sporadic, raising questions about his motivation or mental state.
Remarkably, despite these challenges, Chavez Sr. insists Junior has been training harder than ever for the Paul fight. However, Junior’s strength and conditioning coach, Chris Camacho, expressed frustration with Junior’s inconsistent commitment, noting missed sessions and lateness, ultimately ending their professional relationship.
Eleven days before the fight, Junior was interviewed at the Brick House Boxing Club in North Hollywood, running late but eventually sharing insights with his trainer, Charlie Fuerta, who mentioned that Chavez Jr. mainly trains through shadowboxing, mitt work, and light weights, sparring about 36 rounds a week. Fuerta believes that when Junior is fully focused, he is formidable, and doubts anyone, including Jake Paul, could easily beat him. Yet, the numerous "ifs" surrounding his preparation remain a concern.
When asked why he continues fighting, Junior replied that boxing saved his life by helping him stop drinking. He has two children with his wife Frida and was previously married into a family connected to infamous drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Junior remains in contact with Camacho but cited differences in training expectations as a reason for parting ways.
Regarding his upcoming fight with Paul, Junior plans to throw many punches and train hard. He was unfazed by Paul’s insults and believes Paul targets him because he sees Junior as old and vulnerable, intending to exploit his current struggles.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s story is a mix of inherited legacy, personal battles, and boxing’s harsh realities—a narrative where love and conflict intertwine deeply.
Fan Take: This fight symbolizes more than just a clash in the ring; it represents the struggle of legacy versus modern boxing spectacle. For fight fans, seeing Chavez Jr. step up against Jake Paul could redefine the relevance of traditional fighters in the age of social media influencers, impacting the future landscape of the sport.
