By James Blears
Two time world champion Nigel Benn is urging former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, to snap up a dietician and not bite off more than he chew, so he can gobble up the super middleweight division.
"The Dark Destroyer" who himself was a middleweight and super middleweight idol in his era, was accompanied by his daugher and son to the WBC's ongoing convention in Bangkok, Thailand. And it was announced that Nigel is going to be inducted into the WBC Hall of Fame. Nigel said this honor was magnificent and beyond his wildest dreams, announced that he wants his son to fight for a WBC belt.
Turning to the weighty Chavez Jr issue, Nigel's views provided plenty of food for thought. Without mincing words he said:
"Julio Cesar Chavez is a young guy. I think he's a good boxer, but I just feel he can be lighter than what he is. Where's the definition on him? He still has a lot of excess weight on him. It's all up in the mind, reaching the weight. It's all about focus and determining I'm going to wake up and have my boiled chicken, my porridge and my banana. It's all about what you eat. You are what you eat. He's got to work out his diet plan, and it all starts up in your head. He definitely needs a dietician. Chavez really needs to get someone to watch his weight."
A consumate professional, Nigel who'll always be linked to the fateful fight against Gerald McClellan back in 1995, has happier memories of his two megafights with Chris Eubank, one of which he lost, but the other produced a sensational draw.
He beamed as he recalled: "To be able to have over 47,000 at Old Trafford and more than 18.5 million people watching you on televison, it's an absolute blessing to be part of that. Thank you Chris (blows a smacker of a kiss), I needed him as much as he needed me. He made me a lot of money. And...I feel honored, blessed and privileged to be in the ring with him, because he's a worthy champion, and he had a jaw like granite!
