By Miguel Rivera
Hall of Famer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. finally retired from the sport in 2005, with a huge fight record of (107-6-2, 86 KOs).
Chavez came very close to reaching an unbeaten record of 100-0.
Chavez was 89-0-1 when he entered the ring against Frankie Randall in January of 1994. In a fight that most expected Chavez Sr. to easily win, Randall did the unthinkable when he dropped the Mexican legend in the eleventh round - which was the first knockdown of Chavez's long career. And Randall walked away with a close twelve round split decision win.
Some will argue that Chavez Sr. should have lost 1993 battle with Pernell Whitaker, which ended in a controversial draw.
Chavez Sr. admits that his career, by the time he fought Randall, was severely affected by drugs and alcohol. He says he was out of control which led to problems in the ring, in camp and especially in his family life.
A few days ago Chavez Sr. discussed how he was abusing his body during training camp for a scheduled fight with Miguel Angel Gonzalez in Mexico City in 1998. The fight ended in a twelve round split draw.
Now happily retired and fully rehabilitated from those problems, he takes full responsibility for his past mistakes.
"I regret the things that I did in my life.I f I had not consumed drugs or alcohol, I might have reached 100 undefeated fights. It would have been an unequaled record. Logically, I did not like the way my career ended, because around that time period I did a lot of damage, especially to my family," Chavez Sr. told A la Vera del Ring .
The last fight of Chavez's career took pace in September of 2005, when he was stopped in five rounds by 29-6 Grover Wiley. There was a measure of family revenge a few years later, when in 2007 a 31-0 Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. knocked out Wiley in three rounds at New York's Madison Square Garden.
