By Jake Donovan
Photo © Ed Mulholland/FightWireImages.com
For those in pursuit of a college degree, it’s not holiday season until the semester ends, which means they must first pass Final exams (at least if they want to pass their classes). For most, that period comes in the next two weeks.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr’s higher education has come in the boxing ring. Through much of his first four years and 34 fights into his professional career, critics have belly-ached of the younger Chavez being given preferential treatment solely based on family ties, that his level of competition that doesn’t warrant the numerous televised slots he’s received thus far.
There’s no questioning that the legendary career of Julio Sr warrants a rating of egregia cum laude. Yet for the moment, Junior remains stuck on critics come loudly.
That changes this weekend.
It’s not a quantum leap in competition, but far more questions should be answered than raised when Chavez Jr. puts his undefeated record (33-0-1, 26 by way of) on the line against crafty southpaw Ray Sanchez (20-1, 15KO). The bout, which headlines a 4-fight PPV card (Saturday, 9PM ET, live from the Tingley Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM) may not quite serve as a final exam, a fight where a win would instantly propel Chavez to a world title fight. But it’s easily the biggest test to date for the son of Mexico’s best-known pugilist.
A midterm exam, if you will.
In some areas, it will be like looking in a mirror for both combatants. Both turned pro at a young age – Chavez just before his 18th birthday, Sanchez two months after he was eligible to vote. Both have been met with their share of critics, in fact even promoter Bob Arum acknowledging that this crossroads match is a tough test in both directions.
“This fight will bring out the best in both of them. Neither has fought anyone as tough.”
The closest Chavez has come to facing – and overcoming adversity – was being held to a draw in his December 2005 bout with Carlos Molina in Monterrey, Mexico. Proving his mettle (not that any of his critics ever bothered to take notice), Chavez came right back, returning against Molina just two months in Las Vegas. It was once again close, but in the end Chavez Jr. escaped with a well-deserved majority decision and his undefeated record still intact.
Sanchez has yet to avenge his lone career loss, a 5th round stoppage against Juan Jose Mendez five years ago. At this stage, it’s unlikely he’ll get the chance or that it will ever be worth pursuing, with Mendez boasting a sub .500 record these days.
Instead, Sanchez just keeps on winning. Twelve straight, most coming in his hometown of Albuquerque, NM, where this fight will be held. Thus leading to another question – how will Chavez Jr. fare on the road?
The traveling circus accompanies young Julio almost anywhere he goes. No matter who is the show’s headliner – Erik Morales or even Julio Sr. himself (Junior appearing on Senior’s final four fights of his career) – the crowd always raises the roof the moment Junior enters the arena, never mind once the action begins.
Come this weekend, Chavez won’t just be sharing the crowd with fellow Mexican icon Jorge Arce (appearing in the co-feature), but will most likely hear more than a spattering of boos mixed in with the cheers. Sanchez may not have Chavez’ historical name, but he has emerged to the top of the popularity charts in a city that has produced the likes of Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero and its greatest ever fighter, Hall-of-Famer Bob Foster.
Sanchez has every intention of preserving the city’s storied history.
“Chavez made a big mistake thinking he can come here and beat me in my hometown. He’s got another thing coming. I know the skills I have, as well as the experience, the power and my hometown fans.”
None of which seems to phase Chavez in the slightest.
“I'm not worried about fighting him here in his hometown. In the ring there's just two of us. I know he's a good fighter, but I'm very confident about what I can do.”
And also what the crowd can’t do – which is literally help a fighter win. As Sugar Ray Robinson once put it when asked if performing the sign of a cross before a bout helps any, “It only helps, if you know how to fight.”
Whether you want to believe it or not, Chavez Jr. knows how to fight. He’s no longer the crude teenager who was forced to learn while he earned, atoning for a lack of an amateur career. This is an area where Sanchez boasts a huge advantage. His non-pay ledger of 86-8 includes an eye-popping nine national titles, including five Silver Gloves nationals, matched only by Ricardo Williams Jr, who, for all of his wasted potential as a pro, is regarded as among the greatest amateur fighters of all time.
Sanchez’ only misfortune was peaking too early as an amateur, having turned pro in 2001 at age 18 rather than wait another three years for the 2004 Olympics to roll around. Though despite the lofty ammy credentials, Sanchez’ career has yet to progress beyond the regional level. Most of his 21 bouts have taken place in the Southwest, this one marking the 15th time he appears in his hometown.
It will be the first time, however, he gets to perform in front of a wide viewing audience on both sides of the border. That would be in stark contrast to that of Chavez Jr, whose every move is viewed, and far too often scrutinized, as if he were the subject of a reality TV program. Those who maintain an open mind notice the resemblances – but making sure to avoid unfair comparisons – to his father in Senior’s early days. The ability to cut off the ring and apply pressure. His sense of boxing economics, rarely wasting a punch, with his power shots almost always finding their mark when they need to. And dammit if his left hook to the body isn’t a reincarnation of papa Julio circa early 1980’s (yes, I said it).
What he has yet to show is how he can punch and defend against a southpaw, as Sanchez is the first left-handed fellow to share a ring with Chavez Jr. Of course, Sanchez has yet to show how he can punch and defend against anyone as notable as Chavez Jr.
Neither seem particularly concerned about overcoming either scenario.
“Fighting a southpaw is a concern,” Chavez admits. But I have a good training camp and will be prepared,” further insisting that Sanchez will “need everything you have when you step into the ring (Saturday night).”
Sanchez intends to see him and raise him – before raising his own arms in victory.
“The pressure is on him,” Sanchez insists. “He has to live up to his name. I wasn't blessed with the ‘Chavez' name. I'm just Ray Sanchez from the Valley.
"Come December 1, everyone will know who I am when I'm standing in the middle of the ring with my arms raised, victorious."
One way or another, both will find out who makes the final grade this weekend. Once the final bell rings, school’s out for one of them, with the winner passing his midterms and furthering his higher education.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
You mean there’s more for your $34.95 than just Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Ray Sanchez?
This being an independent Top Rank PPV, there’s no skimming from the top. Four fights, including the main event, will be featured on “Latin Fury.” Without HBO looking over their shoulder, you can best believe the normal stuffy PPV atmosphere will be replaced with something bearing closer resemblance to an all-night rave.
And on to the chief supports:
Free-swinging Mexican hero Jorge “El Travieso” Arce continues on the comeback trail, appearing in a 10-round bantamweight co-feature. He faces the artist formerly known as Megdeon 3K-Battery, the man who brought a violent end to Manny Pacquiao’s World (linear) flyweight reign nearly a decade ago, but who hasn’t done much since, other than change his name to Megdeon Singsurat.
It’s been a tough 2007 for Arce. The diminutive slugger and former reality star began the year with a frustrating decision win over Julio Roque Ler, who seemed completely disinterested in doing anything other than ensuring that Arce’s 8-fight knockout streak would come to an end.
Better fighters would’ve set their sights a bit higher, like wanting to end his eight-year winning steak (26-0, 20KO). That would come in his very next fight, less than three months later, as Cristian Mijares used Arce as a human mop for much of their lopsided 12 round bout.
Indicative of his free-spirited character, Arce took the loss in stride, revealing that his corner wanted to stop the fight but that he felt he deserved to be punished for talking so much trash beforehand. His way of saying, the loss humbled him as a fighter.
His return bout came two months ago, when he stopped Tomas Rojas in the 6th round of an awkward affair. Getting the win was first and foremost, but Arce left a lot to be desired skill-wise, instead seemingly remaining fixated on scoring knockouts.
There is plenty of motivation to look good this weekend – a win could mean a return to HBO next year, where has twice appeared in Boxing After Dark headliners (along with numerous appearances on HBO PPV undercards). The plan this time around to match Arce with Martin Castillo, whose far-more measured style would be Arce’s polar opposite. Castillo upheld his end of the bargain with a ten-round win on Telefutura last month, his third straight since being upset by Nobuo Nashiro last July.
Another guy who could easily be defined as the complete opposite of Arce would be undefeated junior flyweight king Ivan “Iron Boy” Calderon. Perhaps the sport’s best pure boxer, the 5’0” Calderon (29-0, 6KO) is coming off of the biggest win of his career, a 12-round decision over murderous punching Hugo Cazares this past August in Puerto Rico. Calderon, coming up from strawweight, boxed like a dream over the first half of the bout, but was forced to climb off of the canvas in the eighth and hold off a late attempted rally by Cazares to clearly win a fight that surprisingly came down to a split decision.
His first defense comes against yet another Mexican slugger, as Calderon faces Juan Esquer (22-2-1, 17KO) in their 12-round world title bout. Esquer’s best win came just six weeks ago on Telemundo, earning a split decision over longtime contender Kermin Guardia. Calderon is far and away the best fighter Esquer will have faced come fight night, though – like most of Ivan’s opponents – he boasts considerable advantages in height, reach and power.
Rounding out the PPV portion of the show is highly touted junior welterweight prospect Mike Alvarado (18-0, 12KO).
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: BRINGING BACK BOXING – BY DAN HORGAN
It’s been quite a run for teenaged web-based boxing writer Dan Horgan, and the best years of life are still to come. His name having already appeared in by-lines of articles published on various websites (including our friends at MaxBoxing.com) and magazines, 18-year old Horgan also lays claim to becoming the youngest member in the history of the Boxing Writers Association of America.
But none of that holds a candle to his latest achievement – publishing his first book.
“Bringing Back Boxing: A Young Journalist’s Attempt to Revive the Sweet Science” is a 10-chapter tale of one writer’s hopes to restore the passion of fans that once drove the fight game. Horgan takes readers inside today's boxing world, focusing mainly on the positive – in other words, the opposite side of that most often portrayed by the mainstream media, on the rare occasions they even pay the sport any mind.
The book is available in print (224p, perfect-bound, self-published) or download (1 PDF document, 1.6 MB file size). Copies can be ordered by visiting the following website:
http://www.lulu.com/content/1499553
Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and presently serves on the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. His column runs every Tuesday on BoxingScene.
