Julio Cesar Chavez Sr believes his son will leave Jake Paul running around the ring “like a chicken without a head” when they meet on Saturday in California.
Paul, 28, faces 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a 10-round cruiserweight bout at the Honda Center.
The son of legendary Mexican fighter, Chavez Jr was world champion at middleweight in 2012 but has endured a chequered record since, winning eight of his last 13 fights.
Paul says a win over Chavez Jr will kick off a “title run”, but Sr ridiculed the American at a news conference on Thursday.
“Jake Paul just fought against Mike Tyson, who didn’t even throw one punch,” he said, referencing Paul’s drab fight against 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November.
“This is not Mike Tyson. You [Jake] are going to get your ass whooped.
“Julio is going to go in throwing some serious punches, and you’re going to be running like a chicken without a head.”
Paul has mostly fought ex-MMA fighters in his 11-1 career, his sole defeat coming to Tommy Fury.