There’s some good news for Jake Paul. Well, maybe? Maybe it’s not so good? That depends on how you look at it. Either way, it looks like The Problem Child has finally found his next opponent—and this time, it’s not a crossover pipe dream, but a name that actually might happen. Let’s rewind for a second. For the past few months, Jake Paul’s been playing matchmaker with himself, throwing names around like Gervonta “Tank” Davis and even Canelo Álvarez. Bold, right? But it didn’t quite pan out with them. Tank had to handle business with Lamont Roach Jr. and their potential rematch. So that door slammed shut. And just when it looked like Jake Paul might actually score a showdown with Alvarez, enter His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, who swooped in and signed Canelo to a four-fight deal. Game over.

There were even whispers about the Ohio native trying to land a bout with Anthony Joshua. Yep. You read that right. Jake Paul—trying to throw hands with AJ. The ambition is real. But now, five months since his last bout, reality has settled in. Jake Paul needed to fight someone—anyone. And while he may not have snagged one of boxing’s elite, it looks like he’s found a familiar name and a whole lot to prove.

Earlier today, Boxing Kingdom dropped a little throwback bomb—a screenshot of a tweet from WBA president Gilberto J. Mendoza, who said last year, “I am not against a @jakepaul v. @jcchavezjr for a championship.” The caption of the post read, “Is Jake Paul about to fight for a World Title? This was a post by the WBA President earlier this year. Reports suggest Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr is a DONE DEAL.”

That was right after Jake Paul scored a 6th round TKO win over Mike Perry, and on the same card, Julio César Chávez Jr. (yes, the son of Julio César Chávez) got a win over Uriah Hall. Back then, it seemed like the fight might happen. However the Ohio native went the spectacle route instead and locked in that high-profile fight with Mike Tyson. Because why not, right? A huge spectacle brings in a pocketful of revenues. Meanwhile, Chávez Jr. kind of drifted off the radar again. Now? Things are heating back up.

Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr. is officially on. The two will square off at cruiserweight in a 10-round bout on June 28th at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, USA. And yes, fans are already lighting up the internet with hot takes.

Chávez Jr.’s career has been anything but smooth. His last real loss was against Anderson Silva—not a boxer, but a former UFC champ. But hey—credit where it’s due—Chávez Jr. did bounce back just six months later with a win over David Zegarra. Then? He kind of disappeared from the boxing scene.

It wasn’t until three years later that he stepped back into the ring, grabbing another win—this time, against yet another former MMA fighter. Not exactly a mic-drop moment, but a win’s a win. Still, it’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room: his personal struggles and rollercoaster performances have left a lot of fans scratching their heads. The talent’s there—but consistency? Not so much. That said, this might just be the fresh start he needs. A chance to show he’s still got something left in the tank—if he takes it seriously and comes in focused.

So, what are we really getting here? Is this Jake Paul taking another step up? Or is it another spectacle with a familiar name? Surely, fans had a lot to say about it.

Fans slam Jake Paul for buying his way through boxing

One thing’s for sure—some fans out there seriously believe in Jake Paul’s rise. One user went all in with confidence, yelling (in all caps), “JAKE PAUL WILL BE YOUR NEW WBA WORLD CHAMPION AFTER HE KNOCKS OUT CHAVEZ IN THE THIRD ROUND 🔥.” No doubt in their mind—El Gallo’s winning, and it’s not even up for debate.

Another fan laid out a full game plan for The Problem Child. “Jake Paul wins WBA cruiser weight then some time next year canelo fights him for the belt I hope I’m wrong.” Okay, that’s…ambitious. But hey, stranger things have happened in boxing. And while Jake Paul’s resume might raise a few eyebrows, let’s not forget—his only loss came against Tommy Fury, and even that was a split decision. So if Jake Paul can actually take down Julio César Chávez Jr. this time? His name in the boxing world might just start carrying a little more weight. But not everyone’s buying into the hype.

One user was quick to throw a bit of cold water on the party. “You know that by championship he didn’t mean world title…” Fair point. The WBA has a ranking system, and let’s be real—neither Jake Paul nor Chávez Jr. are ranked high enough to be claiming a legit world title. Another chimed in: “Yeah a regional belt maybe.” Fans think smaller scale, like a minor or honorary title would work better. Something more in line with what the WBC sometimes does to spice things up.

Of course, with all Jake Paul’s ventures—his Most Valuable Promotions, his Paul American show with elder brother Logan Paul, and the fortune he made from last year’s fights—the guy’s not exactly hurting for cash. That led one user to throw a cheeky jab: “Money buys anything ,,,,” Ouch!

Then there’s the skepticism toward Chávez Jr. too. The guy’s been on and off for years. One commenter didn’t hold back: “Sh-ts dumb, Chavez s-cks and this is another easy Jake win.” While another user simply wrote, “For fighting a retired fighter. What a joke.” Let’s be honest though—Jake Paul has fought retired fighters before. So if that’s the move again? Well… no one’s shocked.

But here’s the thing: this could still be a test for Jake Paul. Chávez Jr. might be inconsistent, but if he actually takes this fight seriously, Jake Paul could be in for a real challenge. After all, we did see the 28-year-old feel the heat against Tommy Fury. That was the first time he took a punch from a real boxer—and you could tell. Since 2020, the 11-1, 7 KO boxer grabbed the headlines, the money, the spotlight—but respect from hardcore boxing fans? Not so much.

So here’s the million-dollar question: If Jake Paul beats Chávez Jr. fair and square, and if Chávez Jr. actually shows up and puts in the work, will this be the moment Jake Paul finally earns that respect? Or will it just be another payday circus? Guess we’ll find out on June 28th. So what’s your take on the matchup? Do let us know your thoughts below.