Jake Paul’s next spectacle is locked in: the YouTuber‑turned‑contender will fight former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The 10‑round cruiserweight bout headlines a DAZN pay‑per‑view co‑promoted by Most Valuable Promotions and Golden Boy.
Paul fights for the first time since outpointing 58‑year‑old Mike Tyson on 15 November 2024, a novelty event that shattered pay‑per‑view records but drew mixed reviews from boxing purists. Earlier attempts to lure Canelo Álvarez, Anthony Joshua or Gervonta Davis fizzled; instead the 27‑year‑old influencer‑turned‑boxer settles for another recognizable name who, like many Paul foes, is well past prime.
Chávez Jr. is now 39 and eight divisions above the 160‑lb throne he once held. His most recent outing was a six‑round decision over ex‑UFC fighter Uriah Hall on 20 July 2024, the Mexican’s first win against a boxer since 2021.
In the co-main event, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez will defend his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles against Cuban knockout artist Yuniel Dorticos.
Ramírez captured the WBA belt by out‑pointing Arsen Goulamirian in nearby Inglewood last March, then added the WBO strap with a unanimous decision over Chris Billam‑Smith in Riyadh eight months later, becoming Mexico’s first two‑division titlist above light‑heavyweight. Now Zurdo returns to Southern California for his first title defence on U.S. soil in more than a year.
Watch Zurdo vs. Billam-Smith highlights: Watch
Dorticos once reigned as IBF champion and still owns an 86 percent stoppage rate. The Cuban puncher has been campaigning for another shot at world honours since a narrow decision loss to Mateusz Masternak in late 2023 and says Ramírez “has never felt cruiserweight power like mine.” 
The June clash is viewed as a semi‑final to a full three‑belt unification later in 2025. Australia’s Jai Opetaia, Ring and IBF king, defends against Claudio Squeo on June 8; promoters from both camps have expressed interest in matching the winners before year‑end, assuming Opetaia’s minor training‑camp injury heals as expected.  
Fight card:
▪️Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., 10 rounds, cruiserweight
▪️Gilberto Ramirez vs. Yuniel Dorticos, 12 rounds, for the WBO World cruiserweight title
▪️Holly Holm vs. Yolanda Guadalupe Vega Ochoa, 10 x 2 rounds, lightweight
