Chavez Jr: My Passion For Boxing is Back, I'm Doing Things Right

By Victor Salazar, photo by Hoganphotos

New York - The all-Mexican showdown between Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KO’s) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KO’s) is gaining steam for May 6th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Cinco De Mayo collision will be carried by HBO Pay-Per-View.

The two combatants will meet inside the ring at the New T-Mobile Center. They spent the entire week taking part in a four city media tour which began on Monday in Mexico and ended on Friday in Los Angeles.

During the media tour, a lot of fans were on hand and the majority of them were present to support WBO junior middleweight champion and lineal middleweight champion, Canelo.

Chavez Jr., who 5 years ago was the bigger star, expected Canelo to have more fan support.

“I expect this because of my inactivity and he's more active,” Chavez Jr told BoxingScene.com. “I haven't had big fights, only two [fights] in 4 years. He beat Miguel Cotto and he was here in New York before but it's ok - it’s the first time in my career where I don't have the pressure, the pressure is all on him.”

Weight has been an issue for Chavez during the last few years of his career. He fought as high as 172-pounds in some of his most recent bouts. He has not fought anywhere near the middleweight limit since he lost a unanimous decision to Sergio Martinez in 2012.

The contracted weight for the bout with Canelo is 164.5 pounds, a weight which Chavez believes will be easy to make because his passion for boxing is back

“I have the passion for boxing,” stated Chavez Jr. “ After the loss with Martinez, I lost my passion. This time I am doing the right things, eating right because this is the biggest fight of my career with Canelo and making the weight shouldn’t be a problem.”

He also has a financial incentive to make the weight because if he doesn’t - it will cost him seven figures a pound.

“I’m making weight because it’s going to cost me one million a pound but I have the discipline, I have the love for this sport, and I want to continue the second part of my career.”