ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) 鈥� Jake Paul appeared to be taking the biggest risk of his unique boxing career by stepping in the ring with Julio C茅sar Ch谩vez Jr., a former middleweight champion and his most accomplished opponent by far.
At least it seemed like a risk 鈥� until a lifeless Ch谩vez meekly waited until the ninth round to mount any offense, dismaying a crowd desperate for him to hurt the famous YouTuber-turned-pugilist.
Paul shrugged it all off and rolled to another victory. After all, he's the star of every show.
Paul beat Ch谩vez by unanimous decision Saturday night, dominating the early rounds before weathering Ch谩vez's late rally for his sixth consecutive win.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) had little trouble from the 39-year-old Ch谩vez (54-7-2), controlling the majority of the bout in front of an ardently pro-Ch谩vez crowd in Southern California.
鈥淚 love that he brought a good fight at the end, and I think the fans got a good fight to see him come out, put some punches on me,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淚t makes me better. I had to elevate tonight and rise to a different level. I鈥檓 glad the fans got to see me get punched in the face a little bit.鈥�
Even with his famous father shouting furiously at ringside, Ch谩vez fought tentatively and tepidly against Paul, who patiently controlled the ring and landed just enough to win rounds. Ch谩vez looked lifeless at the start, barely throwing a punch until late in the fourth round of their cruiserweight bout at Honda Center.
Ch谩vez first mounted a discernible attack in the sixth, and he delivered several exciting shots in the ninth, finally exhibiting the skills of a long boxing career.
But he couldn鈥檛 seriously damage Paul, who jumped on the ropes in celebration after absorbing several flurries in the 10th and final round. The crowd booed Paul after the bell, and he cursed at them.
"All the boos are awards,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淚t was flawless. I think I only got hit about 10 times.鈥�
The judges scored it 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93 for Paul. The Associated Press also favored Paul 97-93.
Ch谩vez, who had fought just once since 2021, is best known for failing to maximize the potential in his father鈥檚 genetics. He is still the most credible boxer to share the ring with Paul, who is now 5 1/2 years and 13 bouts into his lucrative fight career.
鈥淚 thought I lost the first five rounds, so I tried to win the last rounds,鈥� Ch谩vez said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 strong, a good boxer (for) the first three, four rounds. After that, I felt he was tired. I don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 ready for the champions, but he鈥檚 a good fighter.鈥�
Paul has successfully leveraged his Internet ubiquity and his own hard work to become a force in the business of boxing, if not in traditionally important bouts. He has founded a busy promotional company and flirted with mixed martial arts while becoming arguably the most prominent combat sports athlete in the world.
But Paul had mostly fought mixed martial artists and fellow online celebrities, and he took his only loss in February 2023 when he stepped in against actual boxer Tommy Fury, whose fame also exceeds his ring skills.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really care what people say at the end of the day, because every single time I just prove myself more and more,鈥� Paul said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 slowly turning the tide.鈥�
Paul hadn鈥檛 fought since last November, in a much-hyped bout that couldn鈥檛 live up to improbable expectations from fans who didn鈥檛 understand the simple realities of Tyson being 58 years old.
Ch谩vez was away from the ring for three years before his return late last year, but Paul鈥檚 invitation brought him back again 鈥� along with the thousands of fans who eagerly bought tickets in perpetual support of their champion.
Ch谩vez has fallen to innumerable lows during a lengthy boxing career conducted in the shadow of his father, one of the most beloved athletes in Mexican history. The son has failed drug tests, served suspensions and egregiously missed weight while being widely criticized for his intermittent dedication to the sport.
He still rose to its heights, winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defending it three times. Ch谩vez shared the ring with generational greats Canelo 脕lvarez and Sergio Martinez, losing to both.
Ch谩vez even lost in 2021 to Anderson Silva, the former UFC champion and rudimentary boxer who lost a one-sided ring decision to Paul one year later.
Paul鈥檚 career as the world鈥檚 most popular pugilistic sideshow could change soon: His financial potency makes it almost inevitable that he will be invited to fight under a sanctioning body鈥檚 aegis, which means he could likely book a bout against an elite boxer whenever he chooses.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see,鈥� Paul said when asked to name his next opponent. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a long line, so they鈥檝e got to wait in line. Take a ticket.鈥�
Paul then said he would have no problem beating Gilberto 鈥淶urdo鈥� Ramirez, who retained his two cruiserweight title belts with a close unanimous decision over Cuba鈥檚 Yuniel Dorticos in the final undercard bout.
Earlier, 43-year-old former UFC star Holly Holm returned from a 12-year absence from the boxing ring to dominate previously unbeaten Yolanda Guadalupe Vega Ochoa.
New Jersey welterweight Julian Rodriguez earned a thrilling victory in the waning moments of the 10th and final round, staggering Avious Griffin with a sneaky left hand and eventually knocking the previously unbeaten Griffin sideways into the ropes for a stoppage with 5 seconds left.
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AP boxing:
Greg Beacham, The Associated Press
