On Jake Paul-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.: ‘We’re better than this’

Let someone else take what they saw Saturday night and try to inflate it.

That wasn’t happening on Monday’s episode of Pro Box TV’s “Deep Waters,” where the cast of three former world titleholders torched Jake Paul, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., World Boxing Association President Gilberto Mendoza and everyone else connected to the mockery.

Former 140-pound titleholder Chris Algieri opened the onslaught by stating that Jake Paul “regressed” in his sixth-round knockout of former UFC and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship participant Mike Perry on Saturday in Tampa.

“Paul didn’t use his skills,” Algieri said. “He used his size, gorilla slaps to knock Perry down.”

That was all the bait the analysts needed, laying waste to the idea floated by the WBA’s Mendoza that Paul versus another Saturday night “winner,” former middleweight world titleholder Chavez Jr., was worthy of one day materializing as a world-championship fight.

“This isn’t boxing, this is ‘Celebrity Death Match,’” Hall of Fame former two-division champion Timothy Bradley Jr. said. “If Jake wants to impress me, he’s got to start fighting real fighters. The last time he [truly] did, he lost [to Tommy Fury]. And Tommy Fury is not that good.

“I look at Jake and ask, ‘What is he?’ He’s like a boxing plant. He was planted in the boxing game and he’s just milking and scamming people. He’s not that good. Not at all. He’s picking and choosing who he wants to fight, and when I hear the WBA is thinking of sanctioning him and Chavez Jr. for a title fight, I have a problem with that, man.”

Former welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi, after watching Chavez Jr. emerge with a close unanimous decision victory over retired former UFC fighter Uriah Hall, called the son of the boxing legend a major “stain on boxing.”

“When this bum won a major world championship … nobody else had [a major] belt given to him,” Malignaggi said. “This stain is now going to get a shot at Jake Paul, and they’ll make a belt for it? No way. This doesn’t mean anything.”

While Paul is due to fight 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on Nov. 15 at Texas’ AT&T Stadium, Algieri believes “the Mike Tyson fight is not happening … he’s not getting any younger or healthier. They’ll put in Chavez Jr.”

At that point, a graphic showing the world’s four cruiserweight titleholders was displayed, including WBA champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, leading to heated reactions by men who paid the highest dues for their straps.

“If a belt becomes vacant for these guys [Paul and Chavez Jr.], especially in the WBA, there’s so many sellouts in boxing,” Bradley said.

Malignaggi asked for such title talk to immediately cease and desist.

“Guys, we’re better than this conversation. Why mention this prospect [Paul]? This conversation is too idiotic for us,” Malignaggi said. “How did we sink this low?”

Paul fights generate strong audiences, provoking the talk, but Algieri reasons that Paul cards “bring down the IQ of the fan. It’s not good for boxing.”

While the cast has previously praised Paul for his investment in women’s boxing and his backing of prospects, Malignaggi implored, “There’s no way we can let that idiot Chavez Jr. fight Jake Paul.”

Chavez Jr. flamed out quickly after winning the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and three successful title defenses. He lost the belt to Sergio Martinez, then was blown out by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, subjected to thrown beer bottles after a loss to Daniel Jacobs in Phoenix and beaten by former UFC champion Anderson Silva.

“I would fight Chavez Jr., get off the couch and beat the guy,” Malignaggi vowed.

“He’s hard to get rid of,” Algieri said.

Paul “is robbing the casual idiots through boxing” and performing in “an alternate reality,” Malignaggi said, riotously likening Paul events to the “Back to the Future” movies.

Bradley frets over how far Paul will get in the sport.

“He’s buying his respect and position,” Bradley said. “With power and money, you can move mountains in boxing. All he has to do is keep winning.”

Even if the next one comes against a retired grandfather, or – worse yet – Chavez Jr.