By Mark Vester

Undefeated middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is preparing to leave his hometown of Culiacan, Mexico, to fly to Los Angeles, California, to begin working with his new trainer, Freddie Roach, at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. Chavez hired Roach to train him for the upcoming fight with "Irish" John Duddy on June 26 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

"It's my decision and now everything is ready for me to go to Los Angeles to begin training with Roach and his team. I know he is a quality trainer, and he was named the best 'Trainer of the Year' and it's not only for his work with [Manny] Pacquiao," said Chavez Jr. to The Record.

Chavez has looked lackluster in his couple of performances. He thinks Roach will help him rise to a level that he needs in order to beat Duddy.

"I think Roach is a trainer who makes you work hard but make you get better and I have no doubt that I'll be even better when I make my return in Textas," Chavez said.

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