Overview

• Paul defeated Julio César Chávez Jr. by unanimous decision to extend his professional record to 12-1, with judges scoring the fight 99-91, 97-93 and 98-92.
• The World Boxing Association placed Paul at No. 14 in its cruiserweight rankings, making him eligible to challenge for a world title.
• Paul has directed his legal team to pursue defamation claims against critics such as Piers Morgan who alleged his fights were staged.
• Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian defended the bout as fully sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission and dismissed rigging allegations as baseless.
• Fellow boxers remain divided: Ryan Garcia and Claressa Shields rejected claims of staged contests, while Vergil Ortiz Jr. labeled Paul’s matches “circus fights.”