No matter who wins the cruiserweight fight between Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday, the bout already has been a massive moneymaker for many involved.
The card has set a record for the biggest boxing gate in the history of the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and sportsbooks are seeing heavy action ahead of the main event.
Paul, 28, lacks Chavez’s resume, but he is 11 years younger than the former champion. That has led oddsmakers to maintain Paul as a heavy pre-fight favorite.
The former YouTube star was being offered at -575 at DraftKings on Friday night, with Chavez the +400 underdog. Paul’s line was -600 at BetMGM, with Chavez at +450 and with the book anticipating yet another big event headlined by Paul.
The last time he stepped in the ring, Paul defeated former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Despite Tyson being three decades Paul’s senior, the fight was the most streamed and the heaviest-bet in history.
“Following up the most bet fight in BetMGM history, Jake Paul looks to take out another former WBC champion in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.,” BetMGM senior trader Alex Rella said. “However, Chavez was a champion over a dozen years ago and he lost to Anderson Silva in 2021 who then lost to Jake Paul in 2022. Fight math may not be perfect, but it can help be indicative of the times and why Jake Paul is a -600 favorite.”
Chavez’s longshot odds had drawn 83 percent of the bets and 95 percent of the money wagered at BetMGM.
‘PATH TO A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP’
Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) enters his 13th professional fight against the veteran Chavez (54-6-1, 34 KOs), the latest in a wide variety of aging boxers and former MMA stars he has coaxed into to ring for massive paydays.
“He’s a great fighter,” Paul said. “I like big names. I like legendary names. He’s on my path to a world championship. He’s a tough test, a very, very tough test, but I’m here to challenge myself and do big things in this sport and then make a title run after I beat him on Saturday.”
Chavez quickly discredited Paul’s track record, keeping it short and simple.
“No, I don’t think he’s good,” Chavez said. “I think he tries (and) trains hard, but he’s not a good fighter. If he were a good boxer, everyone on this stage would be a legend. Everybody knows that.”
Chavez was considering giving himself an ultimatum: a possible retirement if he loses to Paul. Chavez remains extremely confident that he is going to be the first person to knock out the former YouTube star.
“I always prepare to take a win,” Chavez said. “I’m here to win, that’s why I am very confident I’m going to take the win.”
Meanwhile, Paul went as far as to predict how he would prevail Saturday night.
“I’m gonna knock him out. That’s what I came here to do,” Paul said. “First round, it’s gonna be an early night. It’s gonna be a right hook right away and I’m going home early. We don’t get paid for overtime. This is gonna be a spectacular performance.”
Paul and Chavez are scheduled to get underway after 11 p.m. ET, concluding a seven-fight card.
–Field Level Media
