Nacho Admits Surprise at Chavez's Hard Work For Canelo Fight

By Miguel Rivera

Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain admits that he's surprised with the level of hard work from former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Chavez is training for his Cinco De Mayo grudge match against countryman Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, which takes place on May 6th from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Chavez is training hard at the Otomi Ceremonial Center in Mexico. The fight takes place at a catch-weight of 164.5-pounds.

Nacho accepts that it took a lot of work for Chavez Jr. to adapt, but once he did the boxer's training has paid off with dividends. And although he says it will not be easy, Nacho thinks that the chances of victory will increase as they continue to work with that provision both physically and technically.

"I was surprised, it really leaves me very satisfied with the work he is doing and it surprises me," Beristáin said to ESPN Deportes. "I have seen him not put much effort into his work [in the past], but now that he changed a little, the presence of his opponent has motivated him to change."

Nacho said that the results of the work are being noticed at more than 3,200 meters above sea level at the Otomi Ceremonial Center.

"The truth is it very cold ( at the Otomí Ceremonial Center), but I was accustomed to the conditions when I was a part of the Mexican Olympic Committee," Nacho said.

"What I like here is the work we've done, I was very happy to see Julio with such a disposition. It's a major fight for his career and the sting of that pushes him to recover the vocation that he once had."

"Right now we are paying attention to his defensive movements. Because he's a fighter with power and strength, he's abandoned the idea of defense and I am of the idea that it is better to avoid the punches than to stop them with your jaw," Nacho said.