THE SAGA OF JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ, JR.
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 13 Nov 2009
Las Vegas, NV:- As all fighters know, being in the undercard is “almost being there”. Close to being the main event boxer. Sometimes you get noticed, other times you are just mentioned in passing. And that’s about it.
Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr knows that so well but he is upbeat about his position. He knows from the very careful way he is being groomed by Top Rank, it is only a matter of time before he finally makes the main event in top money making fights in places that matter like Vegas and Los Angeles.
Chavez has had over 40 fights in his record. But he has yet to beat a really “big name guy”. In fact, many criticize his handlers for putting carefully selected opponents before him to assure his victory. (So what else is new in boxing, huh?)
And he has been a “main event” guy before. In fact he has headlined Top Rank fights before, albeit in Mexico and away from the limelight of glitzy Las Vegas
But even with that, thanks to the brilliant PR people at Top Rank, Chavez Jr is starting to get noticed. Cerveza Tecate put up an “special event” for him at the Cardenas Market in Las Vegas for him meet his fans a day before the fight night at the MGM on Saturday. To help generate the crowd, Tecate invited a top rated Los Angeles Latino entertainment personality named Piolin to warm up the hundreds of Latinos expected to be there.
Late this morning (Thursday, Nevada PST) at the press conference for the “undercard fighters”, Chavez spoke his piece.
He made mentioned of the difficulty of having a name that he carries. “I am a bit pressured because of my name,” he said. But he added that he trains hard to meet the expectations of him.
“I hope to shine and show the people that I am worthy of the name. I respect Rowland, but I am looking forward to bigger fights."
The Chavez–Rowland fight will be the main supporting bout for the Pacquiao-Cotto “Firepower” on Saturday at the MGM Garden Arena.
Footnote: Two Filipino boxers on the undercards, Richie Mepranum (14-2-2, 3KO) of Sarangani who is going against Ernie Marquez ( 9-5-2, 3KO) of Fort Morgan Colorado and Eden Sonsona(13-3-0,3KO) of General Santos who is fighting Eilon Kedem,(9-1-4,6KO) a former navyman from Israel were “No Show” at the press conference.
Why? Where are the handlers of these people? Aren’t they getting paid? Yes, the pay may not be much, but still they have a job to do and they did not do it!
What a missed opportunity!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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