Tweet
On paper, it was a total mismatch. Julio Cesar Chavez, considered Mexico's greatest fighter yet well beyond capable age, against The Golden Boy of boxing, the prime, young lion in the Spring of his career.
There was some bad blood because at an open media workout, De La Hoya was dropped by a Chavez uppercut and humiliated. When they squared off the first time for what mattered, it was a completely different story.
De La Hoya went across the ring, and in the opening moments cut Chavez with a jab that sliced his face in half. A cut like that can only occur from a jab if there was some injury in training camp. It was a washout, it went four rounds and by the fourth Chavez didn't appear too interested in continuing the bout. De La Hoya was younger, stronger, and had a style that Chavez simply could not compete with.
The second time around, the perception of what would occur didn't change, but it appeared that Chavez's intrinsic faculties would reappear and he would put up a more game effort than the woeful showing he displayed the last time out.
De La Hoya fought a more stationary fight, looking to outfight the fighter instead of picking him apart from range like the last time. I feel that Chavez had it in him that "I'm going to do my best for this long, but if I weaken and he's still strong, I can't go on". And that's what happened, De La Hoya tore through Chavez, doing damage while Chavez was landing punches that meant nothing in the end. After the eighth round, Chavez slumped to the stool, shook his head, and said to hell with it.
Those were two pretty good fights, even though they are overlooked.
There was some bad blood because at an open media workout, De La Hoya was dropped by a Chavez uppercut and humiliated. When they squared off the first time for what mattered, it was a completely different story.
De La Hoya went across the ring, and in the opening moments cut Chavez with a jab that sliced his face in half. A cut like that can only occur from a jab if there was some injury in training camp. It was a washout, it went four rounds and by the fourth Chavez didn't appear too interested in continuing the bout. De La Hoya was younger, stronger, and had a style that Chavez simply could not compete with.
The second time around, the perception of what would occur didn't change, but it appeared that Chavez's intrinsic faculties would reappear and he would put up a more game effort than the woeful showing he displayed the last time out.
De La Hoya fought a more stationary fight, looking to outfight the fighter instead of picking him apart from range like the last time. I feel that Chavez had it in him that "I'm going to do my best for this long, but if I weaken and he's still strong, I can't go on". And that's what happened, De La Hoya tore through Chavez, doing damage while Chavez was landing punches that meant nothing in the end. After the eighth round, Chavez slumped to the stool, shook his head, and said to hell with it.
Those were two pretty good fights, even though they are overlooked.
Comment