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What a splendid fighter he once was. Powerful, Relentless, ruthless and wonderfully charismatic. He thrilled us by winning the Super Featherweight, Lightweight and Super Lightweight titles.
He pounded more than half the life out of Meldrick Taylor in their first epic and titanic and now legendary 1990 encounter. Anyone who believes Richard Steele saved Julio from his first loss, is just plain wrong. There may have been just five seconds to go, but a fighting machine can throw a killer blow in those few instants. Taylor’s face was a sorry mess. He’d suffered a fractured cheekbone, swallowed a lot of his own blood and didn’t really know where he was. Better that he was saved one punch too early than one punch too late.
Neutral but knowledgeable observer, Emanuel Steward who trained Meldrick as an amateur said he was stylish, flashy and highly skilled. But sometimes fought with his hands open, and that in this particular fight each and every one of Julio’s blows were rained in with spiteful and damaging intent. Meldrick’s subsequent hospital stay confirmed that.
Like a deity, Julio Cesar Chavez, went fourteen years undefeated, until Frankie Randall finally showed the great one was indeed mortal and the halo of his invincibility slipped, as he visited the canvass and then lost a split decision. He won it back, albeit controversially, but the dent was never really ironed out.
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He pounded more than half the life out of Meldrick Taylor in their first epic and titanic and now legendary 1990 encounter. Anyone who believes Richard Steele saved Julio from his first loss, is just plain wrong. There may have been just five seconds to go, but a fighting machine can throw a killer blow in those few instants. Taylor’s face was a sorry mess. He’d suffered a fractured cheekbone, swallowed a lot of his own blood and didn’t really know where he was. Better that he was saved one punch too early than one punch too late.
Neutral but knowledgeable observer, Emanuel Steward who trained Meldrick as an amateur said he was stylish, flashy and highly skilled. But sometimes fought with his hands open, and that in this particular fight each and every one of Julio’s blows were rained in with spiteful and damaging intent. Meldrick’s subsequent hospital stay confirmed that.
Like a deity, Julio Cesar Chavez, went fourteen years undefeated, until Frankie Randall finally showed the great one was indeed mortal and the halo of his invincibility slipped, as he visited the canvass and then lost a split decision. He won it back, albeit controversially, but the dent was never really ironed out.
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