It will be exhibition time again this Saturday night in Guadalajara, Mexico, as living legend, Mexico’s greatest ever fighter, Julio Cesar Chavez, faces the son of one of his most disliked rivals, Hector Camacho. Chavez Vs. Camacho Jr is not a “real” fight, but don’t tell Camacho Jr. As he made clear when speaking with The Las Vegas Review-Journal, 42 year old Camacho Jr has been craving the chance to avenge the heavy 1992 loss his father suffered at the hands of Chavez (a prime Chavez handed a past his best but still cocksure Camacho a prolonged beating over 12 hard rounds in Las Vegas).
That loss hurt, Camacho Jr says, and it not only hurt him, it hurt all of Puerto Rico. Now, the 58 year old legend will pay, “Baby Macho” says.
“I understand it’s an exhibition, but it’s personal,” Camacho Jr said of Saturday’s bout. “This is a legend, one of the best fighters ever, so the age doesn’t matter. He stays in the gym, stays working out, so that’s where we’re at. This is like a dream come true. 1992, September 12, when Chavez beat my father, that was a heartbreaker for me, the Camacho family and all of Puerto Rico. That’s a night I haven’t forgotten, and I never will. It’s why it’s important to me. I’ve wanted him since then.”
Camacho, who had a decent career of his own but not one that saw him come out from under the large shadow cast by his father, says he will “beat Chavez’ ass” on Saturday. Who knows what we can expect? Chavez is in good shape for a 58 year old, while Camacho Jr sure seems motivated for this one.
Also on the card, in perhaps the most interesting fight of the night, Chavez Jr will face former MMA star Anderson Silva in an actual fight, not an exhibition. As with the headline act, this one is also a fight where pretty much anything could happen. Plenty of fans have grown weary of big-name exhibition bouts, yet there might be enough curiosity and interest for Saturday’s card to pull in some pretty big P-P-V numbers.
