By Jake Donovan (photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank)

All things returned to as they once seemed, as Julio Cesar Chavez Jr delivered one of the best performances of his career in taking a 10-round decision win over Matt Vanda in their highly anticipated rematch at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Much was made of their thrilling, controversial first fight, in which Chavez controlled early before running out of gas and barely fending off a resurgent Vanda before clinging on to a split decision win in Mexico. Even more concern was raised when Chavez announced earlier this week that he would be unable to make the originally agreed upon junior middleweight limit, with both fighters agreeing to a modified catchweight limit of 156 lb.

Unlike his struggles at the scales in the first fight, which had everything to do with his being under the weather in the days leading up the fight, Chavez’ struggle to get down to 154 appeared to be more growing pains than a lack of conditioning, as the 22-year old looked stronger than ever in controlling the action for much of the night against a determined but ultimately outgunned Vanda.

Vanda sought to jump out to a quick start, immediately targeting Chavez Jr’s body before setting his sights upstairs. Chavez was unfazed, establishing his own attack in all but taking over midway through the round. The left hook was effective for the young Mexican, whether it came behind the jab or he opted to lead with it, as Vanda’s activity level regressed as the round wore on.

Things went well for Chavez for much of the second round as well, one where Vanda constantly moved forward, but had little success. A left hook landed late in the round for the heavily-tattooed Minnesota native, only for Chavez Jr to pummel him with counter shots.

Chavez Jr was in full control in the third round. Vanda was forced to assume the role of punching bag, absorbing repeated left hooks to the body. It threatened to be more of the same in the fourth until Vanda was able to work his way inside late in the round. Several toe-to-exchanges took place in the final minute, perhaps not enough to give Vanda the round, but for the first time gave the suggestion that there was plenty of fight left to be fought.

Déjà vu threatened to surface in the middle rounds. It was at this point in the first fight when Vanda began to close the gap and make Chavez’ night a living hell. The sixth round of the rematch saw Vanda pick up the pace considerably, walking down Chavez while getting the better of the exchanges on the inside.

Perhaps too much confidence spilled over into the seventh. Vanda dared Chavez to hit him as they were along the ropes. Chavez willingly reciprocated, nailing his rival with a crisp left hook to the body. Referee Robert Byrd became a vocal presence for the first time in the fight, warning Vanda for coming in with his head. Vanda obliged, but gave away his inside game as a result. Chavez regained control for the remainder of the round until getting caught with a late left hook.

Chavez was instructed by his corner prior to the eighth round to apply more pressure. Student responded in kind, implementing an overhand right into his repertoire. The punch landed repeatedly, also opening up opportunities for Chavez to come underneath with a right uppercut. Vanda withstood the barrage and came back strong toward rounds end, but not enough to steal the round or even discourage his younger foe as was the case four months ago.

Approaching the point of the fight where a knockout was his only means of winning, Vanda opened up more in the ninth. Chavez’ back touched the ropes often, absorbing straight right hands upstairs while Vanda was getting much braver. A right hand late in the round snapped back Chavez’ head, though he was able to shake it off and trade punches before the bell.

Vanda knew what was up heading into the final round. If Chavez heard the final bell, his arm would be raised in victory for the second time in as many tries. Vanda tried his damnest to live up to his pre-fight promise of “kicking Chavez’ ass,” throwing every punch in his arsenal in efforts to prevent the fight from going to the scorecards.

He became a little too brave for his own good, though; Vanda waved in Chavez, yelling “C’mon!” Chavez gladly reciprocated, targeting Vanda’s body and suddenly regaining control of what transpired into a slugfest. That was, until Junior decided to offer his own form of bravado, dropping his hands and shaking his hips to mock his foe. Vanda popped him with a straight right, but could do no better than fight the rest of the round on even terms, with both fighters trading to the final bell, much to the crowd’s delight.

For the second time in four months, boxing fans were treated to a wonderful fight between Chavez Jr and Vanda. Only this time, the outcome was never in doubt. Chavez Jr was in clear control for far too much of the fight for controversy to come into play. The judges got it very right this time around, with scores of 99-91. 97-93 and 98-92 all announced in favor of Chavez Jr.

The win is Junior’s fourth of 2008, advancing to 38-0-1 (29KO). It is the second straight decision win for young Julio after having won his previously seven by knockout. The last time he went the distance in back to back fights was also the only other time he participated in a rematch, as he managed a draw and a majority decision against Carlos Molina nearly three years ago.

Vanda falls to 39-8, losing for the fourth time in his last six fights.

No specific plans for the future were offered by Chavez in his post fight interview, who seemed content with what was produced in the present.

“I showed tonight my boxing and gave ten good rounds,” insisted the young lion of Culiacan, who wanted to clear up a misconception about the first fight. “Everyone now knows I was sick last time.”

A healthy and in-shape Chavez was able to return to 2007 form, one that saw a perceived sideshow develop into a formidable contender. Poor training habits and soft matchmaking slowed his progress, though he ended the year with a bang – and possibly the most complete performance of his career.

“I changed it up,” said Chavez, when asked of the strategic differences between the two fights. “I wanted him to see different things than he saw last time, and I think I showed him. I was boxing with him, I was exchanging him. I was able to dictate the way things went.”

When he shows up like this and fights like that, Chavez will be able to dictate the way things go in and out of the ring.

DONAIRE, ARCE SCORE STOPPAGES; HEAD-ON COLLISION UP NEXT?

Flyweight titlist Nonito Donaire enjoyed a successful debut under new promoter Top Rank, although in anti-climactic fashion. Donaire’s mandatory title defense against South African challenger Moruti Mthalane was stopped midway through the sixth round of their televised co-feature.

Fighting for the first time in eleven months, Donaire showed little signs of ring rust, controlling the action for the most part while Mthalane struggled to overcome the massive disparity in height and reach in favor of the Filipino.

Things changed in Mthalane’s favor in the fourth and fifth round, changing what was threatening to become a rout into a formidable contest. His newfound aggression forced Donaire on the defensive, concentrating more on boxing while flipping between conventional and southpaw. The lack of aggression on the part of Donaire brought out the boo birds early in the fifth and again at rounds end.

From the crowd’s perspective, things didn’t any better in the sixth, particularly the ending. It was more boxing between the two, though it was textbook technique by Donaire would brought a conclusion, however dissatisfying, to the bout.

A double right jab set up a straight left forced Mthalane to instantly paw at his eye, at which point Donaire took it upon himself to instruct referee Joe Cortez to move in and examine the cut.  Surprisingly, Cortez obliged. The bad news would only get worse for Mthalane, who wept in his corner moments after a ringside physician informed him the cut was too severe to continue.

Because the cut was produced by a punch, the fight did not go to the scorecards, instead going in the book as a 6th round stoppage for Donaire. The Pinoy boxer puncher improves to 20-1 (13KO) with the second defense of the alphabet belt he violently snatched from Vic Darchinyan last July.

Mthalane dips to 22-2 (8KO), snapping a nine-fight win streak with the loss. The bout was his first in the United States and outside of his native South Africa.

Donaire’s Top Rank debut was paired up with an undercard appearance by Jorge Arce, suggesting a future rivalry is in the works. Arce seemed to have bigger game on his mind, as he called out lineal super bantamweight champ Israel Vazquez moments after scoring a 4th round knockout of Isidro Garcia in preliminary action.

It was hardly an easy night’s work for Arce, who arguably lost the first two rounds before finally coming on in the third round. From there, it all went downhill for Garcia, who would eventually succumb to Arce’s power in the fourth.

A series of shots had Garcia trapped along the ropes early in the round before a well-placed left hook the midsection sent him to the canvas. He beat the count, but could do little more than post earmuff defense as Arce unloaded with 15 unanswered punches before referee Tony Weeks decided Garcia could no longer defend himself.

The official time was 0:48 of round four.

Arce improves to 51-4-1 (39KO) with the win, his fifth straight since suffering a humiliating loss to Cristian Mijares last April. It was suggested by Mijares earlier in the week that there would be little reason for a rematch with Arce, given the lopsided nature of their 2007 encounter. The Mexican southpaw might want to rethink that position after getting his ass handed to him by Darchinyan on a separate card Saturday night.

Meanwhile, if Donaire-Arce doesn’t pan out, a Donaire-Darchinyan rematch wouldn’t be a bad thing. With Darchinyan’s win over Mijares came ownership of three major alphabet titles at 115. Donaire indicated before Saturday’s fight that while he properly trains to make the flyweight limit, it would be much easier on his body to make 115 or even 118. It was perhaps foreshadowing that a leap in weight is in his near future, and at no better time, with plenty of options lying ahead.

Garcia loses for the third time in his last four fights, falling to 25-6-2 (8KO) overall.

In other undercard action:

Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Lamont Peterson improves to 26-0 (12KO) with a virtual shutout of Lanardo Tyner (now 19-2). Scores were 99-90, 99-87 and 98-91.

2008 Russian Olympian Matvey Korobov (1-0, 1KO) was successful in his pro debut, scoring a 3rd round stoppage of Mario Evangelista (1-2-1).

The show was presented and aired via independent pay-per-view by Top Rank Inc.

Jake Donovan is a voting member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com