Jake Paul appears to be playing the long game. While a showdown with unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez remains a distant goal, Paul is now set to face Canelo’s former rival, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.—a move Oscar De La Hoya believes could spell trouble for Canelo down the line. Why?

You see, earlier this year, reports revealed that ‘The Problem Child’ was in advanced conversation with ‘Cinnamon’ for a fight. However, the Mexican superstar signed a lucrative four-fight deal with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to fight William Scull and later Terence Crawford. Meanwhile, Paul had to go back on his word to accept the challenge against Chavez Jr.

It seemed like it was a compromise, but Golden Boy Promotions head and Canelo’s former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, suspects Paul might be playing his own game. While appearing in an interview with Fight Hub TV recently, he explained why Paul beating Chavez Jr. could cause problems for Canelo Alvarez.

“Jake Paul-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., it’s a real fight,” De La Hoya began his argument. “People keep talking about Jake Paul. ‘He’s not a real fighter, this and that.’ Well, he’s fighting a real fighter now, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. It’s going to be a good test for both guys,” he added. De La Hoya explained that if Chavez Jr. seriously trains for the fight, he would be a danger to anyone.

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He pointed at Chavez Jr.’s fight against Canelo in 2017 to justify his point. “We promoted that fight many years ago. Canelo didn’t knock him out, couldn’t hurt him. So, imagine if Jake Paul can hurt or even wobble Chavez Jr., it’s something that can help,” De La Hoya shared. He seemed thankful to Paul’s MVP for being able to partner with them to promote the Zurdo Ramirez vs. Yuniel Dorticos fight on the same undercard. 

The event is planned for June 18th at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Regardless, is Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. as good as Oscar De La Hoya claims? 

Can Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. beat Jake Paul? 

First and foremost, while Canelo Alvarez didn’t score a knockdown against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he dominated every round of their 2017 bout. According to CompuBox, Canelo landed 228 punches to Chavez Jr.’s 71, showcasing complete control from start to finish.

Comparing that version of Chavez Jr. to the one Jake Paul is about to face isn’t just unfair—it’s misleading. When Canelo fought him, Chavez Jr. was 31 and still active. Today, at 39, he’s teetering on the edge of retirement. And don’t forget, former UFC champion Anderson Silva was able to beat Chavez Jr., while Paul has already defeated Silva. 

Between 2022 and 2023, Chavez Jr. remained inactive, battling mental health issues and drug addiction. This is not the same fighter who stepped into the ring with Canelo. So, can Jake Paul beat this version of Chavez Jr.? Yes. But should that earn him a shot at Canelo? Absolutely not.

Instead of fighting boxers his age to earn a shot at Canelo Alvarez, Jake Paul is offering a big payday to a faded Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.—likely to make a statement against Canelo. But with Canelo locked into a four-fight deal that may lead to retirement, the window is closing. Still, the question remains: should Canelo even consider fighting Paul down the line?