Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. thought his son’s boxing career was over in June 2021.
The legendary boxer watched from ringside as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. suffered a stunning split decision defeat against faded UFC legend Anderson Silva.
One of the greatest athletes in MMA history was released by Dana White after losing seven of his final eight fights in the Octagon.
The former UFC middleweight champion opted against retirement and instead crossed over to boxing to face an ex-WBC 160lb titleholder as a heavy underdog.
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Julio Cesar Chavez called for his son to retire in 2021
There was nothing lucky about Anderson Silva’s win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
‘The Spider’ clearly outpointed him, and the only shock after eight rounds of boxing was the fact the judges rendered a split decision, rather than a unanimous verdict in favor of the 46-year-old Brazilian fight icon.
Silva’s win compounded a bad night at the office for the Chavez family, as earlier in the evening, the boxing legend’s other son, Omar Chavez, was defeated by Ramon Alvarez, who is the brother of Canelo Alvarez.
Post-fight, the 107-6-2 Mexican called for both of his sons to call time on their respective boxing careers.
“I prefer that they retire if they are not going to prepare correctly,” Chavez Sr. said.
“They do not prepare in the best way possible to fight.”
What’s next for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr?
Chavez Jr. ignored his father’s retirement advice and got his career (kind of) back on track.
Back-to-back decision wins over David Zegarra and ex-UFC star Uriah Hall have earned him a big fight.
Chavez Jr. will fight Jake Paul on June 28. While a clash with the YouTuber-turned-boxer is a far cry from trading blows with Canelo Alvarez, it’s a step in the right direction for the 54–6–1 Mexican.
A win would set up a money-spinning rematch and potential title chances in the cruiserweight division.
If Chavez Jr loses, his famous father may be once again calling for him to quit boxing.