by Miguel Rivera & Rene Umanzor, notifight.com
WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has downplayed the recent statement that were made by his next opponent Sergio 'Maravilla' Martinez, who called the Mexican champion "a chicken" and promised to "crush the bones" of Chavez. Their HBO pay-per-view fight is scheduled for September 15th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
"I think he's a clown. He doesn't know what he is saying. On the 15th, he's going to realize that he should have taken things seriously. I find his attitude strange. I think he is afraid, because he never behaved like this before," Chavez said.
"I think that he is a fighter who wants to walk away from boxing and therefore he wanted the opportunity to walk away with some money and that's why he wanted to fight me. I think it's the truth. He is in the final stage of his career and he already wants to retire. I think that is the real reason on why he pursued this fight. Winning this fight would make me one of the best fighters in the world because everyone says that he is one of them. Winning this fight will definitely give me a lot of credibility."
The final financial details are being ironed out, but Chavez doesn't expect any problems. He says the fight is 95% done on his end.
"In the next few days I will sign for the fight. It is 95% that the fight is going to happen. I'm coming to Las Vegas [this week] and I only need to close the final details of the numbers. I have to do what's in my best interest. I want this fight."