By Mark Vester
At the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (41-0, 30KOs) busted up John Duddy (29-2, 18KOs) for twelve rounds to win a unanimous decision, and picked up the WBC's silver middleweight title. The scores were 120-108, 116-112 and 117-111.
Duddy came out pressing the fight with straight punches. Around the middle of the round, Chavez began to use his jab and landed some very good right hands to Duddy's jaw. In the final minute, Chavez was still landing the better punches going backwards as Duddy came in.
The second saw Chavez continue to land his hard counters to Duddy's jaw. Duddy began to fire some hard shots to push Chavez back. Chavez came back with the hard jab and then landed a hard hook. Duddy backed Chavez against the ropes in the final twenty seconds and unloaded with combos to the head and body.
Chavez back to the jab in the third and started landing his hooks to the body. They started to trade in the second minute. Chavez continued to land his hard right and went back to the body. Both fighters suffered minor cuts near their left eyes. The start of the fourth round saw both of them start to trade hard punches. Duddy trapped Chavez against the ropes and they began to trade punches with both hands. Chavez was hit hard but came back with some hard punches to Duddy's jaw. Chavez working the jab to set up hard punches in the final minute to batter Duddy's face.
In the fifth, Chavez continued to land very hard punches. Duddy was able to land a good shot here and there, but Chavez was landing harder shots and Duddy's face was swelling. Chavez win a four punch combo to end the round. Chavez's eyes were bruising and Duddy's left eye was swelling bad. The start of the sixth saw an inside was with both guys trading hard shots. In the middle of the round, a hard hook from Duddy shook Chavez up. Duddy jumped on him and started to unload the kitchen. Chavez covered up well and began to counter on the inside. Duddy's nose started to bleed. Duddy jabbing and trading hooks until the bell.
Chavez came out winging in the seventh. They went back on the inside and began to trade punches. Chavez started to take over with hard shots to the head of Duddy to push him back. Chavez was blocking most of Duddy's counters. In the eight, Chavez went back to work with hard hooks to the head and the body. Duddy seemed to get hurt at the end.
At the start of the ninth, Chavez came out pounding hard shots with both hands. The crowd went wild as Chavez shook Duddy bad with a hook and began to unload with hard punches. Duddy was fighting back to stay alive in the fight. Chavez shook him again with a shot to the head and body. Chavez went for the finish but Duddy once again fought back. A huge round for Chavez.
Duddy was doing better at the start of the tenth. It didn't take long for Chavez to rock Duddy again. Chavez went after him with power shots from both hands. Chavez rocked him to the body. Chavez again went for the finish but Duddy was able to survive. The eleventh round saw the pace slow down a little. Chavez continued to land his hard shots. Duddy's punches lost a lot of their steam. Chavez rocked him againt and went for the finish. Chavez began to punish him bad with both hands. Chavez rocked him bad in the final ten seconds and Duddy once again was able to survive.
The twelfth saw Duddy come out swinging first. Chavez was jabbing his way inside and landing hard hooks once he got in. Chavez back to the body and then went to the head. They ended the final round trading punches with both hands.
