By: James Blears
What a splendid fighter he once was. Powerful, Relentless, ruthless and wonderfully charismatic. He thrilled us by winning the Super Featherweight, Lightweight and Super Lightweight titles.
He pounded more than half the life out of Meldrick Taylor in their first epic and titanic and now legendary 1990 encounter. Anyone who believes Richard Steele saved Julio from his first loss, is just plain wrong. There may have been just five seconds to go, but a fighting machine can throw a killer blow in those few instants. Taylor’s face was a sorry mess. He’d suffered a fractured cheekbone, swallowed a lot of his own blood and didn’t really know where he was. Better that he was saved one punch too early than one punch too late.
Neutral but knowledgeable observer, Emanuel Steward who trained Meldrick as an amateur said he was stylish, flashy and highly skilled. But sometimes fought with his hands open, and that in this particular fight each and every one of Julio’s blows were rained in with spiteful and damaging intent. Meldrick’s subsequent hospital stay confirmed that.
Like a deity, Julio Cesar Chavez, went fourteen years undefeated, until Frankie Randall finally showed the great one was indeed mortal and the halo of his invincibility slipped, as he visited the canvass and then lost a split decision. He won it back, albeit controversially, but the dent was never really ironed out.
He was too small and too old to take on Oscar de La Hoya, although I’ll always remember that last round of their second fight when he snarled and fought ferociously from deep down instinct catching the Golden Boy flush, blacking his eye and rocking him back, before suffering a horrendous cut to his mouth, inflicted just before…or was it just after the bell?
Against Kostya Tszyu in 2000, he was a shell of his former magnificent self and never had any chance at all. I remember him attending a weigh in three weeks before that fight to insure he was in trim, or ten percent within the stipulation. He appeared pallid and ghost like. His skin did not posses the sheen which, training and good conditioning brings. It was papyrus like. He was just a couple of pounds over fight weight, but appeared dehydrated, gulping down gallons of orange juice and then he charged to the bathroom.
A year ago was supposed to be his last fight against Frankie Randall in a Mexico City bull ring. Frankie and his genial Manager Don Hale came for the payday, but did work for it, and Frankie was fit, if not exactly in fight shape. As Don Hale smiled: "If it was a running race, Frankie would win." Both of their timing was off, although Julio’s hands were still heavier and packed more power. A number of his punches strayed a trifle south of the border. But when Frankie retaliated in kind, he was immediately pulled up and docked a point. It didn’t matter, Julio won a unanimous decision over ten, but at the end his legs were like rubber bands when he jumped back off the ropes and nearly twanged to betray him.
In this fight against Ivan Robinson, Julio will be getting a rather nice nest egg- about two hundred thousand dollars. It’ll be a cameo appearance, but his 107-5-2 with 88 knockouts career has justified it. Robinson, who’s getting less than half that, is an appropriate choice of opponent. He’s 34 and well past his sell by date. He’s not the fighter who defeated Arturo Gatti twice in a 1998 purple patch, and his record of 32-9-2 with just 12 knockouts, suggests that he’s a boxer and not a slugger. He’ll give Julio a good workout, without being too dangerous?
Julio has had his share of problems with the tax man, and his not super wealthy like Oscar, but he does own some property and isn’t exactly starving. Nevertheless the cash will come in mighty handy.
The real question is that at 42 years old, Julio Cesar Chavez is at a cross roads. What does he do with the rest of his life? He’s never known anything else, so what can interest, engage and elevate his notorious low boredom threshold?
He’s more than hinted that if he puts up a good showing in this one, he could do a few more fights? A tour around the United States? Perhaps not a good idea.
He says his nineteen year old son Julio Jr, is keeping him on the straight and narrow and he’s now focusing on the kid’s career.
Julio Jr is undefeated in 18 bouts with 13 KO’s. He’s fighting Adam Wynant in a six round lightweight fight on Dad’s undercard. Adam’s record is an unimpressive 9-3-1 with just three KO’s to his credit. On paper Adam certainly does not look very dangerous, but he does look fit, quite motivated and well prepared. So watch out for the ghost of a chance that a surprise might just be on the cards.
Julio Sr worries about his son. He actually does go through agonies when the lad fights. Although he won’t admit it, he knows that his son doesn’t have all the genuine firepower and more crucially, the natural ability, which radiated from each of his pores…or paws.
Julio Jr is currently learning his trade at the first rung of the ladder. The real test will be when he graduates from pushovers, to the next level, when they actually fight back and CAN punch.
What an awesome challenge to follow in Dad’s footsteps. You’ve got to at least give him full marks for guts, but that’s seldom enough.
And so we come to the end of boxing’s yellow brick road for Julio Cesar Chavez. What a bumpy, wonderful ride it’s been. Thanks for all the wonderful memories Julio, but please find something else meaningful to do for the rest of your life.
