Lomachenko doesn’t take the bait; Chavez, Jr. battles more than one opponent

03/02/2014 Paul Strauss

Top Rank’s grand poobah Bob Arum called for the head of referee Laurence Cole. It’s no secret Arum wanted Vasyl Lomachenko to set a record by capturing a world title in only his second professional fight. What a promotional gem that would have been. Concerning Cole, Arum had an ally in HBO blow-by-blow announcer Jim Lampley. Secure in his 26 year history of anchoring or co-hosting boxing, he threw his own low blow, but this time at Cole by describing him as dreadful. He then reminded viewers that Laurence’s father sits on the commission. Ouch!

So what’s all the fuss about? Well, Arum’s camp (and plenty of others) claim Orlando Salido didn’t fight fair, and referee Cole allowed him to get away with it. Heavens to mergatroyd! That’s a first. A fighter goes into his opponent’s backyard and gets jobbed. In this case, it’s a foreigner in a strange country. Sure, he will be taken care of. Boy, was he ever taken care of!

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Chavez Jr. decisions Vera II; Salido beats Lomachenko

03/02/201403/01/2014 Rob Smith

Using his considerable size and power advantage, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KO’s) pounded out a hard-earned 12 round unanimous decision tonight over Brian Vera (23-8, 14 KO’s) at the Alamodome, in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Chavez Jr. hit Vera with some shots that would have likely knocked out 90% of the super middleweights in the division, but Vera showed an incredible chin and great heart in taking the shots.

Just by hanging around, Vera was able to punish Chavez Jr. with less powerful shots and he had his face looking like he was the loser tonight instead of the winner.

The final judges scores were 114-113, 117-110, 117-110. There’s no question that Chavez Jr. deserved the decision this time around, but it’s too bad that he was given what many boxing fans saw as a gift decision over Vera last September in their previous fight. But Vera got a rematch out of that fight anyway, so it worked out about the same as him getting a win.

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Chavez makes weight, Salido doesn’t

02/28/201402/28/2014 Joseph Herron

From the concourse in front of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Julio Cesar Chavez Junior dodged the first bullet from the proverbial gun of his detractors by comfortably making the contracted Super Middleweight limit of 168 pounds.

Both Chavez and Vera weighed in at approximately 167.5 pounds, with both men looking strong and having more than enough time to replenish and rehydrate, due to the unusually early 2PM EST weigh in time. After the former WBC Middleweight title holder successfully made weight, Junior held a giant replica of a voided cashiers check made out to Bryan Vera to the sum of $250,000.00.

Chavez Junior had very little to say after the official weigh in concluded.

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Chavez Jr-Vera and Salido-Lomachenko weigh-in: Chavez, Vera and Lomachenko look in sensational shape, Salido comes in heavy and loses title on scale

02/28/201402/28/2014 James Slater

The weights are in for tomorrow’s two big fights set to go down tomorrow night in San Antonio, Texas, and Mexican Son of a Legend Julio Cesar Chavez Junior tipped-in at a ready and ripped 167.5-pounds for his rematch with the rugged Bryan Vera – who came in at the exact same weight.

Chavez’ team members held aloft a giant sized void penalty cheque, in reference to the fine Chavez would have had to pay had he done as some expected and came in heavy. Instead, Chavez has clearly worked hard, his body looking hard, his conditioning looking excellent. Looks can of course be deceiving, but if Chavez fights as good as he looked on the scale, it could be bad news for Vera; a fighter many felt should have been awarded the decision after the first action-packed fight between he and the Mexican star.

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Chavez vs. Vera 2: A more focused Junior makes the rematch a can’t miss fight

02/28/201402/28/2014 Chris Carlson

They say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, but telling that to Mexico’s legendary fighter Julio Cesar Chavez would be downright disrespectful.

No, young Julio isn’t cut from the same cloth as his father Chavez Sr. Honestly speaking the same could apply to the majority of the modern day fighters in contrast to the 200-300 fight warriors from days of old.

That said becoming a boxer is not exactly the easiest profession and for all the crap that’s been shoveled on him, most of it deserved, when in shape Junior is a solid chinned entertaining fighter that has challenged with limited success late in his fight, the lineal legitimate world titleholder and pound for pound member Sergio Martinez.

Before it was lack of competition that fans would drag Chavez Jr. through the coals for, now it’s his issues outside the ring that surfaced in the winter of 2012.

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Salido vs. Lomachenko: “Boxing 411″ analysis and video presentation

02/27/201402/26/2014 Joseph Herron

Radio show host and ring announcer Joseph Herron joins talented, young trainer Rick Morones Jr. in this comprehensive video analysis of “Salido vs. Lomachenko”, as they break down the upcoming Top Rank, Inc. special event.

This Saturday night, March 1st, from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, WBO Featherweight Champion Orlando Salido (40-12-2, 28 KOs) will defend his title against two time Olympic Gold Medal winner Vasyl Lomachenko (1-0, 1 KOs).

In this very historic bout, the highly decorated and much younger fighter will be competing for a major world title in only his second professional outing against the hard nosed veteran and proven three time world champion.

After dominating and stopping rugged Featherweight contender Jose Ramirez in his pro debut, which took place on the undercard of the Top Rank PPV event, “Marquez vs. Bradley”, the Ukrainian born technician controversially put himself in line for the highly anticipated showdown with the Mexican born title holder.

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Chávez, Jr. Training Camp Quotes

02/19/2014 Top Rank

(Rafael Soto/Top Rank) CULIACÁN, MÉXICO (February 19, 2014) – Former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR is in his final days of training camp in México as he prepares for his 12-round super middleweight rematch against Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA. Chávez Jr. – Vera II will take place next week – Saturday, March 1 – at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. It will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year, VASYL LOMACHENKO, in only his second professional bout, challenging World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion ORLANDO SALIDO.

Here is what Chávez Jr. had to say today:

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Chavez Jr.-Vera II Press Conference Quotes

01/17/201401/16/2014 HBO Boxing

On the heels of their controversial collision which resulted in a hotly disputed decision, former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA will square off in a 12-round super middleweight battle in a rematch to settle their score once and for all. This time Vera will enjoy the home court advantage when they meet, Saturday, March 1, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX.

Chávez Jr. vs. Vera II will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year, VASYL LOMACHENKO, in only his second professional bout, challenging World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion ORLANDO SALIDO.

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Chavez Jr-Vera set for March 1st in San Antonio, Texas

01/13/2014 Kevin Chittenden

Former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (47-1-1, 32 KO’s) has signed his contract for a rematch against Brian Vera (23-7, 14 KO’s) on March 1st on HBO at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. This time there will be a $250,000 weight penalty for Chavez Jr. if he can’t make the weight for the fight. As of now, it’ll be at 168 lbs., but it’ll be interesting to see if this weight will be nudged forward to the 170s like in his fight with Vera last September.

That weight ended up taking place at 173 lbs., and even then Chavez Jr. looked incredibly emaciated when weighing in. During the fight, Chavez Jr. looked as big as a cruiserweight, and one can only guess how heavy he was. Vera ended outworking Chavez Jr. and getting robbed in the eyes of many fans. Chavez Jr. looked good enough to win 3-4 rounds at best, and it was hard to understand what the three judges saw in his performance that made them score the fight for him.

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Chavez Sr. wants to see improvement in Julio Jr.

10/03/2013 Rob Smith

Boxing great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. wasn’t altogether pleased with what he saw from his son former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (47-1-1, 32 KO’s) in his controversial 10 round unanimous decision victory over Bryan Vera (23-7. 14 KO’s) last Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Chavez Jr. was throwing mainly one punch at a time, backing up much of the time, and getting nailed by the much smaller Vera each time would be cornered. It was a very strange sight to see a bigger fighter with more power running from a smaller fighter.

The judges gave Chavez Jr. the win by the scores 97-93, 98-92 and 96-94, but only a small handful of people agree with those scores.

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