Jake Paul has bested former WBC middleweight titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

On scorecards that read 99-91, 98-92, and 97-93, the YouTube star not only recorded his 12th professional victory but proved himself as a legitimate threat in his newly beloved sport.

Paul Seizes Early Initiative

Jake Paul Silences Crowd With Unanimous Win Over Julio Cesar Jake Paul Silences Crowd With Unanimous Win Over Julio Cesar
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From the first bell, the 28-year-old Paul dominated the ring, outperforming the 39-year-old Chavez Jr. in aggression and output. Although the audience was clearly behind Chavez Jr., the early rounds featured Paul scoring cleanly while Chavez could not get started, according to TMZ Sports.

Fans became frustrated as Chavez was barely throwing punches, and commentators outrightly criticized his passive performance.

Paul, who had earlier defeated Mike Tyson in November, attempted to speed up the fight by increasing the pace. He landed several good combinations, but Chavez Jr. did not provide much resistance in the opening rounds.

Chavez Jr.'s Struggles

Chavez Jr., a 54-6-1 former world champion, repeatedly cried low blows and shots to the back of the head to the referee. The referee did not have reason to penalize Paul, which made Chavez and his corner even more frustrated.

Critics pointed to Chavez's lack of urgency and concentration, particularly for a fighter battling in front of a hometown crowd desperate to see him restore his reputation.

Chavez Jr. Rallies Late But Falls Short

The sixth round finally produced some action. Chavez Jr. started landing big punches, briefly turning the fight in his favor. Paul had to clinch and recover, which showed he had possibly underestimated Chavez's second wind. The Mexican fighter kept moving in the final rounds, sending a flurry of punches that had Paul retreating and taking damage.

Even Chavez Jr.'s late surge couldn't change Paul's early command. The final punch statistics showed Chavez had thrown just more than 60 punches, the majority of which landed in the latter rounds.

Judges Reward Paul's Performance

The bout went to the judges after 10 rounds, who, on a unanimous decision, granted the victory to Paul. The outcome generated both cheers and boos among the crowd, with Paul lashing out at the objectors directly.

He also displayed a kinder face, offering up well wishes to former foe Ben Askren, who is fighting intense pneumonia. Paul and his brother Logan vowed to contribute to a fundraiser for the medical bills of Askren.

Fight Purses Reveal Paul Made Less Money Than Chavez Jr.

Unexpectedly, Chavez Jr. took home a guaranteed $750,000 for the bout, well over double Paul's reported $300,000, as per the California State Athletic Commission via Sports Illustrated.

Paul, however, stood to make much more on pay-per-view purchases and from his own promotion, Most Valuable Promotions.

Notable Undercard Moments

  • Zurdo Ramirez led the card in earnings with $1.5 million after defeating Yuniel Dorticos.
  • UFC legend Holly Holm earned $100,000 for an easy victory over Yolanda Vega.
  • Raul Curiel had a KO win and was paid $125,000.
  • Floyd Schofield and Tevin Farmer each earned $125,000, with Schofield delivering a nasty first-round knockout.

Jake Paul Wants to Fight Two Boxing Stars Next

Still riding high from his most recent win, Jake Paul wasted no time in issuing challenges to potential future foes. He identified Gervonta Davis and Anthony Joshua—two of the biggest stars in boxing as fighters he is eager to fight next.