A WHOLE NEW WORLD OPENS UP FOR CHAVEZ JR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 28 Jun 2010
A whole new world has opened up for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr following his impressive victory over a gallant Irishman John Duddy to win the WBC silver middleweight title in the ?Latin Fury.15? fight card at The Alamadone in San Antonio, Texas telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN over Studio 23 on Sunday, Manila Time.
Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao watched the telecast along with his adviser Michael Koncz in his home in General Santos City. Koncz revealed that Pacquiao had spoken to Chavez for some 20 minutes when he was brought over to the Wild Card Gym by Hall-of-Fame matchmaker Bruce Trampler when Pacquiao was training for his March 13 WBO welterweight title defense against Joshua Clottey and that Pacquiao has ?encouraged him to come there and train and get serious about his boxing career."
They said it was obvious that Chavez had benefited from working with Freddie Roach and conditioning expert Alex Ariza and Pacquiao felt ?there was improvement especially in his stamina because normally he seems to get tired but we thought his stamina was very good and there was definite improvement but he still has a long way to go.? Koncz noted he ?threw a different variety of punches than he normally does, his combinations were nice and he rocked Duddy with some tremendous shots but you have to give Duddy credit because he has a solid chin.?
Both Pacquiao and Koncz said it was a ?very entertaining fight and it definitely showed Chavez had developed? noting that he was ?definitely up against a tough fighter who tested him and he came through.?
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who together with respected Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran has nurtured the career of Chavez Jr, son of Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez were convinced that Junior is the real deal. Arum said in a post fight interview ?Tonight we have a new star, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He can fight anybody, anywhere.?
Arum, off-the-cuff mentioned one option for Chavez Jr who could drop to 154 pounds to fight Miguel Cotto for his junior middleweight title while Duddy could take on former world middleweight champion Yuri Foreman when he recovers from surgery on his injured right knee.
Arum took time out to thank Pacquiao for what he had done saying ?I want to thank Manny Pacquiao who told him to train with Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza (strength and conditioning coach for Pacquiao). Pacquiao said just try it and Chavez didn?t know if he could do it.? Arum said ?The old Chavez would have been killed by Duddy. He would have run out of gas by the 6th round.?
This time it was different as he engaged Duddy throughout the action-packed twelve rounds with such respected TV boxing analysts as Moy Lainez saying he agreed with our observations on television that it was one of the best and most entertaining fights this year and a possible a candidate for ?Fight of the Year.?
Chavez whose father Julio Cesar Chavez had fought Pernell Whitaker to a draw at the very same place, the Alamodome in San Antonio some 17 years ago said ?For me, it was a very special thing. A dream come true. When I was a little kid, I didn?t think I would become a star in boxing.?
Chavez Jr conceded that Duddy was his toughest opponent to date, Chavez said, ?Of course, of course. I respect all fighters. When I was fighting four rounders it was tough at that level. He was very strong, a great fighter, first level fighter.?
Four-time ?Trainer of the Year? Freddie Roach was also pleased with Chavez?s showing. He said Chavez Jr was ?a very good student, fought very well. It?s been four weeks, got a long ways to go, but he?s improving. We went 14 rounds and he wanted to go one more. He wants to work and get better.?
There had been rumors that Chavez was lazy and wouldn?t last a week although Roach was convinced that if Junior was willing to put in the time, his team could make him a better fighter. Roach wasn?t bashful stating bluntly ?With Alex Ariza, my partner, we got the best team in boxing.?
Duddy who rose to the challenge and turned the fight into one that fans love to watch said ?In the third round I rocked him with a good right and he battled back. That?s the sign of a good fighter. I knew Julio was a tough fighter but as you try and make your career you take on certain stages. We took him into deep water and yes he can swim, a tough kid.?
Although the Chavez Jr ? Duddy fight was the talk of the town, Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera returned to the ring after a fairly long layoff to win a comfortable ten round decision over Brazil?s game but unspectacular Adailton DeJesus. Arum and Barrera both made it clear that Barrera was working on a crack at winning a fourth world title and wants to be the first Mexican to achieve the feat.
Arum bared it all saying ?Our plan is to get him the light weight championship. Me and Beltran, the goal is (for Barrera) to fight and win the lightweight title. There is no rush to fight for the title, it?s up to him. There are great fights for him at 135lbs ? championship fights.?
Barrera himself said ?I worked very hard. I felt pretty good. I am ready whenever Bob wants me to fight, I fight.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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