Midweek Mailbag: Jake Paul-Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr, plus more

Published Fri Apr 25, 2025, 6:00 AM

BoxingScene’s Midweek Mailbag: Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr and much more
In this week’s mailbag, we tackle Jake Paul’s fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr and whether he will ever contend at cruiserweight; Ben Whittaker’s rematch win over Liam Cameron and that debatable stoppage.

We also cover Gabriela Fundora; Charles Conwell’s first pro loss; and the July 12 quadruple-header that includes Edgar Berlanga-Hamzah Sheeraz, Shakur Stevenson-William Zepeda, Alberto Puello-Subriel Matias and David Morrell-Imam Khataev.

Want to be featured in the mailbag? Comment or ask a question in the comments section below. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. We also may select readers’ comments from other BoxingScene stories.

JAKE PAUL VS. JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JNR

Even an ancient Badou Jack would batter Jake Paul. Opetaia or Zurdo against Paul is legal assault. Paul is a decent club-level fighter but would get badly beaten by anyone even close to world-level. If Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr actually trains properly for the first time in about a decade, then it’s not unimaginable that he beats Paul. Any talk about Paul having half a chance at world-title level is fanciful.

-Dorrian_Grey

Declan Warrington’s response: Jake Paul shouldn’t even be getting mentioned in the same sentence as Jai Opetaia and “Zurdo” Ramirez. It transpires that ancient fighters are actually his thing, but he doesn’t deserve to share the ring with a fighter as brilliant as Badou Jack once was, either.

Targeting Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr as an opponent isn’t that much less cynical than him targeting Mike Tyson; there’d be more than a hint of poetic justice about Chavez Jnr convincingly defeating and ensuring that the Paul bubble is finally burst.

Ring rust and a lack of discipline have undermined more active and talented fighters than Chavez Jnr, however. His greatest hour came in 2012 against Andy Lee.

UNSOLD ON BEN WHITTAKER UNTIL HE FACES BETTER FOES

Quittaker needs to beat a couple of live 175s to get me back on board. I don't get the slow burn of boxers in this country. Look at David Morrell, who is the same age. At 27, you’re entering your prime – Ben's going to waste it fighting cans.

-Bob

Matt Christie’s response: This is a curious take. Liam Cameron is a former Commonwealth champion who had won 23 of 30 fights heading into the rematch with Whittaker; he’s far from a “can.” Furthermore, given the nature of their first encounter, in which many felt Whittaker had been exposed, making the rematch with Cameron was brave from conception and smart on reflection. He was never going to follow a draw by calling out contenders – or even fighters you might deem as “live.”

Not every Olympian has to be moved at breakneck pace, nor do they all have the physical and emotional maturity required to do so. The first fight with Cameron proved that about Whittaker himself. I agree that it can be frustrating when certain boxers – like Joshua Buatsi, for example – appear to stagnate at a certain level but that isn’t applicable here.

I do think it’s fair to expect a better opponent next time, however. There’s plenty to choose from in Britain that would make for enticing domestic bouts, with fighters like Dan Azeez and Lewis Edmondson just two that spring to mind. Given the quality at 175lbs in the U.K., Whittaker can progress on home soil to world level within 12 to 18 months – presuming he’s kept busy and, crucially, is good enough.

BAD STOPPAGE IN BEN WHITTAKER-LIAM CAMERON II

Ridiculously premature stoppage. Not down. Not beaten up. Cameron was momentarily wobbled and covered up, which is exactly what you should do. Waved off? Go fuck yourself. I want to like Whittaker but, no, I can't. Disgraceful stoppage.

-1Eriugenus

There’s also the argument that with the follow-up punch that knocked Cameron back, the ropes kept him up, meaning he could have a count there, similar to Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk I (which was 10 times more brutal and worthy of a stoppage than this was). Either way, it was definitely early. Cameron was defending himself and wasn’t out on his feet.

-IronDanHamza

Tris Dixon’s response: It happened right in front of me, and I was satisfied with the stoppage. A couple of those right hands landed heavily and cleanly and really thudded off Cameron’s head. I don’t think there was any coming back for Cameron, and there was little to gain by letting it go on.

I can see the argument, and it’s more clear watching it back on TV, but on the night and with it all happening directly in front of me I was more than OK with it. More than that, I thought it was a good intervention.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE JULY 12 QUADRUPLE-HEADER

Good and exciting card (“Shakur Stevenson-William Zepeda; Hamzah Sheeraz-Edgar Berlanga set for July 12”). Berlanga should be able to either stop or decision Sheeraz pretty easily; that fight is the least appealing. Stevenson vs. Zepeda is going to be Fight of the Year; I literally can't wait for that.

Alberto Puellp should stop Subriel Matias; Matias is so overrated, and Puello needs a big fight at 140. David Morrell vs. Imam Khataev will be very exciting for however long it lasts. Khataev fought Ben Whittaker in Tokyo at the Olympics. He is not coming to play.

-Mikedadon

Tris Dixon’s response: It is a cracking card, and I actually think Berlanga-Sheeraz is a very solid matchup, and potentially exciting, too. I’m glad we finally get Stevenson-Zepeda, too. It might be just the sort of opponent Stevenson needs to remind us of how incredibly talented he is.

As for Morrell-Khataev, it’s a tough one back for Morrell. Puello-Matias is a hard fight to call, and that’s all boxing fans can hope for, that you have a degree of suspense and/or jeopardy heading into a fight. It would make for a worthwhile accumulator with the oddsmakers.

SHAKUR STEVENSON-WILLIAM ZEPEDA WILL BE BORING

The script for Stevenson-Zepeda has been written a long time ago. We all know what happens. Zepeda goes forward, swings and misses, Shakur runs backwards, counters from time to time, piles up the points and wins a unanimous, boring points decision. He stuns Zepeda a couple of times with counters but does not follow up with anything significant and never lets his hands go, but settles for another points victory.

On the BoxingScene forum, we will argue for a few days about whether Shakur was running all night (or just boxing smart) and whether he deserves the win, and Zepeda’s followers will argue that Zepeda was aggressive enough, forced the fight, threw more punches and deserved a win or at least a draw.

-bronkobugarski

Declan Warrington’s response: William Zepeda is strong, aggressive and ambitious. To put that another way, he’s likely the nature of opponent Shakur Stevenson requires to show he’s one of the very best in the world.

I was ringside in 2022 when Stevenson excelled throughout victory over Oscar Valdez at junior lightweight. I was also ringside when he struggled to convince in victory over Edwin de los Santos 18 months later in a fight so disappointing people still criticize it today.

Unless Stevenson’s hands undermine him, he remains capable of having the career many expected of him. Zepeda can complement him the way Valdez did and the way De Los Santos didn’t – maybe it starts again there.

WAITING FOR GABRIELA FUNDORA TO BE KO’D JUST LIKE SEBASTIAN

Looking forward to Gabriela Fundora fighting someone who can actually give it and take it, so she ends up just like her brother with Brian Mendoza: "Timmmmmberrrrr!"

-crisantonio917

Eric Raskin’s response: I’m not quite sure why someone would be actively rooting for the destruction of Gabriela Fundora. She seems a tremendously sweet person and is good for the game, as a young and talented boxer capable of producing highlight-reel KOs.

But, hey, to each their own. Part of the boxing fan experience is the perverse delight we take in watching certain fighters crash to the canvas, and there doesn’t always need to be a logical reason behind who lands on our “I wanna see them flattened” list.

Where I agree as it pertains to Fundora is in wanting to see her share the ring with a truly worthy opponent. Through no fault of her own, she hasn’t found a capable rival yet. Her last five opponents had records of 32-3-2, 6-0, 16-3-3, 15-1 and 19-0-1, and Fundora had her way with each of them.

As much as women’s boxing has progressed, the talent pool is still shallow in most weight classes. The only “name” fighter around Fundora’s weight is Marlen Esparza, but I don’t see that being competitive. Sergio Mora joked on a podcast a few days ago that Fundora’s natural rival would have been Seniesa Estrada but her husband and Mora’s podcast partner, Chris Mannix, “made her” retire.

I’d love to see Fundora tested, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to wait a while longer for that to happen.

CHARLES CONWELL’S UPSET LOSS DOESN’T MEAN HE’S DONE

Big Conwell fan here. Not ready to write his obituary just yet (“Long odds: Jorge Garcia Perez upsets Charles Conwell”). Shades of Carlos Adames vs. Patrick Teixeira, where the bully/A-side could not subdue the "unknown" underdog.

As a boxing fan, I am happy Perez was not robbed in a close affair. Conwell will learn from this. He is still legit in my book.

-slimPickings

Lucas Ketelle’s response: I may sound like a broken record, but losses happen, especially when you are in Conwell’s spot.

Conwell is a 2016 Olympian, and nine years later, he still has yet to fight for a title. Though fighters won’t say it, it gets depressing constantly being on the brink of a title fight without getting it. Conwell’s loss to Perez might just as much be about having to get up for tough opponents who fans and media will not give you credit for, time and time again, as it was about the fight itself. Eventually, a loss happens.

Is it the end of Conwell? Probably not. When you face top contenders, especially unknown ones like Perez, you will encounter a fighter with a breakout performance. Which we saw on Saturday.

The Adames-Teixeira comparison is a fair one. Perez was able to get off a lot of volume, which Conwell might not have perceived as effective, yet the blows scored points. In the end, Conwell will have to do what the greats do: reinvent himself after a loss. That will now be the key to getting his elusive title shot.