Boxing just got a little weirder (and a lot more entertaining): former middleweight champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is set to throw down with YouTube star-turned-pugilist Jake Paul on June 28, 2025, at the Honda Center in Anaheim. But while fans gear up for the chaos, Chavez Jr. is already raising eyebrows with a recent sparring clip that’s got the boxing world whispering.
Chavez Jr.’s last appearance in the ring, just shy of a year ago, saw the Mexican boxer struggle past former mixed martial artist Uriah Hall. Before that, Chavez Jr. had not fought for three years, and even when he did, the son of the legendary boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., remained largely unimpressive. But ahead of the Paul fight, Chavez Jr.’s sparring clip suggests otherwise.
What happened in the clip?
Fight Hub TV recently shared a clip on Instagram that has stirred up quite the reaction. The footage shows Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. sparring in the gym. It opens with Chavez Jr. in the ring, with his sparring partner until he suddenly lands a sharp left hook that drops the other man. The partner falls back slowly, almost cinematically, his body bouncing off the canvas with dramatic flair.
The clip then cuts to Chavez Jr. hammering away at the heavy bag, throwing powerful body shots. The caption reads, “Julio César Chávez Jr. shared sparring footage that appears to show him knocking out his sparring partner.” Interestingly, despite his experience and the sparring display, Chavez Jr. enters his upcoming fight as the underdog.
A post shared by Fight Hub TV – Boxing • MMA • Combat Sports (@fighthubtv)
His inconsistent performances and long gaps in his career have cast a shadow over his credentials. Meanwhile, ‘The Problem Child’ is coming off a sluggish and largely uneventful match against legendary heavyweight Mike Tyson last November. Notably, Paul wasn’t originally planning to fight Chavez Jr.
He turned to him only after negotiations for bouts with Canelo Alvarez and Gervonta Davis fell through. Still, ever since the sparring footage dropped, fans have been relentlessly dissecting it, with many questioning its authenticity, timing, and relevance.
Staged allegations hit Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. ahead of Jake Paul fight
Jake Paul is no stranger to being accused of staging his fights, even though there is no merit to it. However, this time, Chavez Jr. is facing backlash for staging his sparring clip to create hype for the fight. This user got straight to the point. “This looks so staged ,” the user wrote. Still, there isn’t any definitive proof supporting the same.
Even the next user wasn’t buying the sparring clip. “S**t was faker than a BBL cmon now ,” the user commented. Only time will tell whether Chavez Jr. can display the same performance when faced with Paul.
The next user found it hilarious how Chavez Jr.’s sparring partner kissed the canvas. “Bro, that’s so scripted lol that man flopped,” the user remarked. It’s worth noting that the clip starts at the exact moment when Chavez Jr. lands the left hook, which is suspicious. Why not show the entire clip?
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 05: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. poses during the official weigh-in at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 05, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Canelo Alvarez will face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a middleweight bout on May 06 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. (Photo by Omar Vega/LatinContent via Getty Images)
Another user roped in Chavez Jr.’s father. “Make your father proud for once,” the user asked. Notably, the 39-year-old has failed to match the success his father achieved during his prime in boxing. Not to mention, they have been at odds with each other in the past.
Meanwhile, this user shared his prediction for the fight. “Jake Paul round 3-4 Julio coming just for the bag ,” the user wrote. Since Paul’s win over Mike Tyson, he has become a cash cow, but the Chavez Jr. fight doesn’t appear to be that lucrative.
That said, despite Julio Chavez Jr.’s effort to hype up the upcoming fight with his sparring clip, fans remain unimpressed, accusing him of staging the knockout. But what do you think of the clip?
The post “Make Your Father Proud for Once”: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Raises Eyebrows With Viral Clip Before Jake Paul Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.
