Queretaro, Mexico - Young, dynamic Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. of Culiacan, Mexico goes into his biggest fight when he takes on Tobias Giuseppe Loriga of Italy on Top Rank's "Latin Fury' PPV championship card on Saturday, April 26.
Loriga replaces Michel Orlando also of Italy, who pulled out of the fight for medical reasons.
"This will be a big fight for Julio Jr., as he take on an undefeated fighter in Loriga who has a different kind of style and for me personally this is a very intriguing match-up," said Bob Arum of Top Rank.
Chavez Jr., 35-0-1 with 28 knockouts, had to dig in and fight hard in his last two Latin Fury main events, defeating first Ray Sanchez in his hometown of Albuquerque, N.M. followed by a three-knockdown win over Jose Celaya. Both Sanchez and Celaya battled bravely in front of large crowds.
"The last couple fights have been very tough, but I have found a way to win them and that's the most important thing. I plan on having a big year and this second fight of 2008 will show that I'am ready to take bigger challenges", said Chavez Jr.
Loriga, 24-0-1 with 6 knockouts, is the current Italian champion at junior middleweight and also holds the IBF International jr. Middleweight belt.
Chavez Jr is enormously popular in Mexico and is a big gate attraction in the USA. His last fight against Celaya was a 6,500-seat sellout in Leon, Mexico.
"Fighting in Mexico is always very special for me. The people are great and I always try to give the fans my best", said Chavez Jr., who captured the WBC Continental Super welterweight Championship with his win over Celaya.
Chavez will put his WBC Continental Super welterweight Championship on the line against Loriga,
Chavez Jr. is the oldest son of the legendary “El Gran Campeon” - three-time world champion Julio Cesar Chavez. The father always takes the ring walk with young Julio on fight night and when they reach the ring steps Julio Sr. gives final instructions.
"I am very happy about the boxing career of my son," Chavez said. "He is very serious about his career and he is always 100 per cent prepared."
The Big “Latin Fury” Pay Per View card includes an IBF featherweight elimination bout between Hector Velazquez of Tijuana and Elio Rojas of the Dominican Republic and a defense of his NABF bantamweight crown by Bernabe Concepcion of the Philippines who take on Torrance Daniels.
