The Liverpool-born UFC veteran and recent boxing convert Darren Till isn’t shy about sharing his thoughts on the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr. fight, nd he’s got just enough cheek to keep things interesting.
Darren Till Breaks Down Jake Paul vs. Chávez Jr.
Darren Till, who’s tangled with some of the best in both MMA and now the boxing ring, knows a thing or two about hype and hard fights. He’s also no stranger to the Jake Paul circus, having eyed a bout with Jake himself and even being scheduled to fight Chávez Jr. before a reshuffle in the boxing calendar.
For those catching up: Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-pugilist, has made a habit of beating up on MMA retirees and aging legends, racking up an 11-1 boxing record and recently outpointing a 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Now, he’s set to face Chávez Jr., a former WBC middleweight champion with a storied but turbulent career. Chávez Jr., at 39, brings a record of 54-6-1 with 34 knockouts, but his best days are widely considered behind him, with recent years marked by losses and well-publicized struggles outside the ring.
Darren Till, just coming off a boxing win, isn’t buying the easy narrative that Jake Paul is just a social media star playing boxer. Speaking in an interview with Plejmo, Till explained:
“I think Chavez has still got the tools to beat Jake, and I think if he’s training hard and he’s got the right people around him, especially his father. I think he’s still got a little bit. But yeah at 39, especially after a lot of what he’s been through, I know he’s been through a hard time himself, with some drug abuse and stuff like that. I don’t want to comment on it too much.”
Chávez Jr., meanwhile, is fighting not just Paul, but the weight of expectation and his own history. His career has been a rollercoaster of world titles, headline losses, and personal battles, including stints in rehab and legal trouble. His legendary father, Julio César Chávez Sr., is in his corner, hoping to see a final flourish from his son.
And as for what’s next, if Paul wins? Till isn’t ruling anything out, they might offer him a title match:
“I think anything’s realistic when it comes to Jake [fighting for a world title after Chávez], so I wouldn’t put it past them [to get a title shot after beating Chávez]. To be totally honest with you, I wouldn’t [rule it out]”
Jake Paul and Chávez Jr. prepare for their Anaheim showdown; the only certainty is that the circus rolls on, and Darren Till, for one, is happy to grab a ringside seat and see who’s left standing when the dust settles.
