Still riding the euphoric wave from his November victory against former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, Jake Paul is clearly confident heading into his next bout. Jake, who beat Tyson by unanimous decision in a record-breaking live event on Netflix, now has his sights set on another former world champion. On June 28, he will lock up with Julio César Chávez Jr.
Chávez Jr. won the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defended it three times before losing the championship to Sergio Martínez in 2012. And the 39-year-old should present a more difficult challenge than the 58-year-old Tyson.
However, despite holding an impressive 54-6 record, Chávez Jr.’s form has been on the slide in recent years. He has lost three of his last six fights — as many losses as he suffered in his first 55 fights. Chávez Jr.’s appearances have also been almost nil, registering just one fight since 2022.
Paul, who sits on an impressive 11-1 record and has won his last five fights, is drawing confidence from Chávez Jr.’s lack of form. And, keen to think like a future world champion, he is operating by a memorable maxim from one of the UFC’s most outspoken and successful stars.
Sharing a confident clip to his 28.5 million Instagram followers, Paul captioned the post with an iconic mantra from a former UFC two-division champion, Conor McGregor.
Hurling a product from his new personal care brand, W, into the air, he juggled the can with a series of precise punches and kicks before landing the can right side up on a nearby mat. To note, he was met by cheers from his entourage as well as excitement from his golden retriever, Thor.
“Precision beats power — June 28th I KO Chavez,” read the post from ‘The Problem Child’, referencing an often-repeated catchphrase from the preeminent UFC trash-talker McGregor.
The Irishman adopted several seemingly sagacious mantras over the course of his career, balancing out his often expletive-laden social media tirades. But when did ‘The Notorious’ first utter those famous words now adopted by Paul?
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The origins of McGregor’s iconic phrase
McGregor saved the clever adage for one of his most impressive UFC victories. MMA fans will have to go all the way back to 2015 to one of the quickest and most devastating knockouts in UFC history to discover its origins.
Uttering the phrase, “Precision beats power, and timing beats speed,” McGregor perfectly summed up his measured 13-second knockout of José Aldo to become featherweight champion at UFC 194.
Known for his hard-hitting Muay Thai background, McGregor was aware that he wasn’t going to match Aldo for power in the title match. He instead adopted a more precise approach that paid off massively.
Paul, who has adapted this motto for himself, will deal with a different breed of fighter in Chávez Jr., who is more of a presser. He is still capable of summoning power, though, having achieved KOs in 34 of his 54 wins.
Paul will be aware of the power that Chávez Jr. possesses. And when that power comes, hopefully, that mantra will be at the forefront of his strategic approach.
