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Joan Guzman - The Long Road Back To Acceptance
By Mitch Abramson
Joan Guzman is still sorry.
More than two weeks after Guzman’s “blow-up in Biloxi,” he is still feeling the repercussions of failing to make the lightweight limit and wrecking his Sept. 13 match with Nate Campbell.
Guzman has trouble sleeping, frets about losing his fan base, and worries that time is running out on his career.
Cue the violins.
After hearing a mouthful from Campbell and everyone else regarding this debacle, perhaps it's time to listen to Guzman, minus a touching press release.
“I don’t have much longer in this sport,” Guzman said on Friday, holding out his hands. “I don’t feel pressure or that I have to rush or anything, but I do worry about losing time and opportunities and my reputation suffering.”
The fallout from his actions, or lack thereof, has been pretty nasty.
Campbell, the WBA, WBO, IBF lightweight champ, has appropriately lambasted Guzma n for costing him a $300,000 paycheck.
Guzman (28-0, 17 KO) may also be the target of a lawsuit by Campbell’s co-promoter, Terry Trekas.
Rumors are also swirling that Guzman, who wasn’t paid either, might receive an indefinite suspension from the Mississippi commission, though this seems like a bottomless threat since the doctors reportedly advised Guzman to pull out of the fight because of his health.
So how does a man who feels as though he is being persecuted by the boxing community respond?
Well, he goes to the gym, where he has sentenced himself to a sort of prison term for bad behavior.
Instead of staying away, since Tuesday, Guzman has been curiously training at Gleason’s Gym, working out for a fight that isn’t scheduled and may not happen for some time.
“I have to change my ways,” he said as Harry Keitt wrapped his hands. “This can’t ever happen again.”
While Keitt applied tape, Guz man held an impromptu press-conference in front of a few other trainers and boxers who milled about in the middle of the afternoon. He explained the circumstances that led to him pulling out of the fight and then releasing a statement to the boxing world asking for clemency as if he might get executed.
Guzman, 32, was in good spirits, joking around with the other fighters, wincing as people grabbed hold of his bulging hair that was in need of trimming.
Guzman’s younger brother, Jose darted around a ring in the center of the gym, his hands a blur as Guzman spoke. Jose, a 4-0 lightweight, will make his American debut on Oct. 24 in Tennessee.
“I am feeling better,” Guzman said with the help of former junior welterweight contender and trainer Pedro Saiz translating. “Right now, the pain is more mental than physical. I worked so hard for the fight. I feel I can make this weight so easy. I was training three times a day for this, and...”
His voice trailed off. Guzman was asked how much he weighed when training camp started in Las Vegas, but was reluctant to answer. Rumor has it that he weighed in excess of 170 pounds, the result of a two-month vacation in his native Dominican Republic.
“I had never had a problem trying to weigh 122 pounds,” he said. “When it got to be a problem, then I just moved up in weight. I feel comfortable at 135 pounds. This is my weight class.”
As his personal apology of a press release said, “I rolled the dice by coming in too heavy at the start of my training camp. I was able to get away with this many times before but, at age 32, my body shut down on me with 3.5 pounds to go. My metabolism rejected taking off so many pounds in a short period.”
His assistant trainer Delen (Blimp) Parsley expounded on the part about his metabolism not operating at normal speed and his inability to scratch the extra weight off.
“He was dehydrated,” Blimp said. “He was throwing up. He couldn’t keep anything down. His eyes were turning yellow, he was cramping up. He came in heavy and by the day of the fight he was totally drained. He could hardly walk. Once he got down to 138, his body shut down. He couldn’t work out any more, couldn’t really do anything. He had a strength coach, nutritionist, someone cooking his meals. Everything was on schedule. He weighed 141 the week before. He just came into camp too heavy.”
A lot of the criticism against Guzman has surrounded his decision to pull out the sa me day of the fight. He reportedly told his promoters that he couldn't fight just four hours before the opening bell.
“If we had pulled out a week before the fight, we would have gotten killed even more by everyone,” Blimp said. “Everyone’s trying to make it seem like he’s a bad guy, but he tried to make weight. It’s not like he didn’t try. He just came in too heavy.”
Guzman promised to be more attentive to his weight fluctuations between fights, saying that instead of spending two mo nths in the Dominican Republic that he would basically live in the gym.
“This is going to be my office for now on,” he said, pointing to the expansive gym. “You don’t know how difficult this has been on me. I feel like I have to start at zero with my career. I know my fans are mad at me, and I assure them I will change. I will be more disciplined. For five days after the fight, I couldn’t sleep, it bothered me so much.”
The words rushed from his mouth, leaving Saiz grasping to keep up. Guzman said he would fight for three more years, until he is 35 and then retire. He started boxing when he was eight, fighting as an amateur over 300 times and capturing a gold medal in the 1995 Pan American Games and participating in the 1996 Olympics.
Guzman won the junior lightweight WBO title by winning a split decision against Jorge Barrios in 2006, but he has fought sporadically since, defending his title just twice, the last against Humberto Soto nearly a year ago. Meanwhile, fights have fallen through, and his career timetable is shrinking.
“I would fight Campbell,” Guzman said. “For me, that would be a fight for pride, to make up for what I did.”
His hands finally wrapped, Guzman got up, smiled and retreated to the ring, which seemed to be his only solace.
Mayorga: "I'll KO Mosley in 3!"
"I think it's going to be a two or three round knockout," predicted Ricardo Mayorga today. Mayorga faces Sugar Shane Mosley on Saturday at the Home Dept Center in Carson, California. "I'm fighting a guy that's really smaller than me and he's weak. He's not like the big guys that I've been fighting that were tough." As usual, 'El Matador' was just getting started. "Mosley's speed is gone already and I still have my power. For this fight I've trained very hard and I'm going to prove it on Saturday night.....I'm definitely going to retire him because he deserves to be home washing dishes. His wife is the one that's in charge. He needs to go home and listen to her!"
Monday, September 22 2008 www.fightnews.com
"I think it's going to be a two or three round knockout," predicted Ricardo Mayorga today. Mayorga faces Sugar Shane Mosley on Saturday at the Home Dept Center in Carson, California. "I'm fighting a guy that's really smaller than me and he's weak. He's not like the big guys that I've been fighting that were tough." As usual, 'El Matador' was just getting started. "Mosley's speed is gone already and I still have my power. For this fight I've trained very hard and I'm going to prove it on Saturday night.....I'm definitely going to retire him because he deserves to be home washing dishes. His wife is the one that's in charge. He needs to go home and listen to her!"
Monday, September 22 2008 www.fightnews.com
@ REdRUM .. http://siccness.net/vb/showpost.php?p=3914574&postcount=2578 .. I'm gonna link the fights there as I upload them.
Yep. Jin Mosley is a certified BITCH!! She is also Shanes manager and does whatever she says. He even wears a Korean flag on his trunks because of her!! (even though she was born in america). And his kids have Korean names. lol.
You can actually read her Blog here:
http://www.prolebrity.com/profile/sugarshanemosley/?blog=1
She comes off like a spoiled bitch most of the time.
Shane's a good guy though and a good fighter, so cant hate on him for his life choices, lol
You can actually read her Blog here:
http://www.prolebrity.com/profile/sugarshanemosley/?blog=1
She comes off like a spoiled bitch most of the time.
Shane's a good guy though and a good fighter, so cant hate on him for his life choices, lol
Oscar De La Hoya Hires “Nacho” Beristain For Pacquiao
LOS ANGELES – With a little over two months to go before his epic showdown with Manny Pacquiao on December 6th at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Oscar de la Hoya has made perhaps the most important decision of his career, bringing in trainer of champions, the legendary Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, to prepare him for the attack of the “Pac-Man”.
“Nacho Beristain is a great trainer who I have respected for many years and I’m honored to have him in my corner,” said De La Hoya. “In addition to his great tactical mind and considering that he prepared Juan Manuel Marquez for two fights against Manny Pacquiao, he knows him very well. I’m confident that with Nacho’s gameplan and my execution, we’ll be victorious on December 6th.”
“Oscar de la Hoya is one of the premier fighters of this era and I am excited about working with him for this very important fight,” said Beristain. “I already have a plan in mind for beating Pacquiao and I know Oscar will do whatever it takes to carry that plan through on fight night.”
A member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Beristain is widely considered to be one of the best trainers to ever come out of Mexico. The man in the corner of world champions Ricardo “Finito” Lopez, Gilberto Roman, Daniel “Chato” Zaragoza, Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez, Melchor Cob Castro, Beristain may be best known for his work with current superstars Juan Manuel Marquez and his brother Rafael Marquez. Now he will lead “The Golden Boy” into one of the biggest fights of his life.
De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank and will take place on Saturday, December 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
Tickets for De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao go on sale this Wednesday, September 24 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $250 and $150, not including applicable taxes and service charges. Ticket sales are limited to two (2) per person at each price level with a total ticket limit of four (4) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be sold via Ticketmaster phones and website only. There will be no sales at MGM Grand or any Ticketmaster outlets.
The De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com
LOS ANGELES – With a little over two months to go before his epic showdown with Manny Pacquiao on December 6th at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Oscar de la Hoya has made perhaps the most important decision of his career, bringing in trainer of champions, the legendary Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, to prepare him for the attack of the “Pac-Man”.
“Nacho Beristain is a great trainer who I have respected for many years and I’m honored to have him in my corner,” said De La Hoya. “In addition to his great tactical mind and considering that he prepared Juan Manuel Marquez for two fights against Manny Pacquiao, he knows him very well. I’m confident that with Nacho’s gameplan and my execution, we’ll be victorious on December 6th.”
“Oscar de la Hoya is one of the premier fighters of this era and I am excited about working with him for this very important fight,” said Beristain. “I already have a plan in mind for beating Pacquiao and I know Oscar will do whatever it takes to carry that plan through on fight night.”
A member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Beristain is widely considered to be one of the best trainers to ever come out of Mexico. The man in the corner of world champions Ricardo “Finito” Lopez, Gilberto Roman, Daniel “Chato” Zaragoza, Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez, Melchor Cob Castro, Beristain may be best known for his work with current superstars Juan Manuel Marquez and his brother Rafael Marquez. Now he will lead “The Golden Boy” into one of the biggest fights of his life.
De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank and will take place on Saturday, December 6 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View.
Tickets for De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao go on sale this Wednesday, September 24 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $250 and $150, not including applicable taxes and service charges. Ticket sales are limited to two (2) per person at each price level with a total ticket limit of four (4) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets will be sold via Ticketmaster phones and website only. There will be no sales at MGM Grand or any Ticketmaster outlets.
The De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com
^^
I just read that on fightnews. I was thinking today that he could very well be the best "active" trainer out there. I think he needs to have someone else step in as a cutman and focus more on addressing his fighters other needs in the corner but other than that, he's top notch.
Beristain and Mayweather are both excellent trainers, but I would personally go with Mayweather if I were DLH. He's already worked with him and they mesh pretty well together. Beristain would be better to start your career out with, not end it.
I just read that on fightnews. I was thinking today that he could very well be the best "active" trainer out there. I think he needs to have someone else step in as a cutman and focus more on addressing his fighters other needs in the corner but other than that, he's top notch.
Beristain and Mayweather are both excellent trainers, but I would personally go with Mayweather if I were DLH. He's already worked with him and they mesh pretty well together. Beristain would be better to start your career out with, not end it.
The Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Chronicles: Killing him SOFTLY!
The Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Chronicles: Killing him SOFTLY!
By P.H. Burbridge (A voice in the crowd) - Creating a boxing superstar is much like running for President of the United States. You pick your fights carefully and your team spends most of their time spinning your accomplishments so that you appear to be more then you actually are. For Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, it’s getting to the point where no amount of spin will change the public’s perception and unless he makes a big “statement” soon he can easily end up being another in a long line of 2nd generation BUSTS.
Talk about pressure!
On Saturday, November 1st Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (37-0-1, 29 KO’s) is scheduled to meet Matt Vanda (38-7, 21 KO’s) in a rematch of a fight that took place back on July 12th. Although this bout does not qualify as a “big statement” it is an important fight for Chavez Jr. Frankly, this fight is more about repairing Jr’s physce then anything else. The last go around with Vanda was an unexpected learning experience for Jr and he now understands just how “unsupportive” unimpressed fight fans can be. Aside from engaging in his own private “Thrilla in Manila” with Vanda, Chavez Jr had a minor meltdown after the fight and hinted that he might retire as a result of his performance! He was clearly overwhelmed not only by the challenge Vanda put forth but also by the negative reaction he received from the Mexican fans in attendance. He now feels compelled to win back their favor.
From a career perspective you have to wonder what the plan is for Chavez Jr and what his team is doing wrong. Some of the issues are obvious. First and foremost he needs an upper echelon highly respected trainer who can correct his technical flaws (defense) before it’s too late. Watching him apply the wrong tactical approach fight after fight is enough to convince anybody of the disaster just around the corner. Without a trainer who can teach him the mechanics of defensive fighting he is guaranteed to fail. His Uncle, Rodolfo Chavez, Julio Sr’s older brother is the current head trainer and has done a good job of training Jr to mimic Sr’s styl e but he hasn’t done a very good job of bringing out the kids natural talents as a boxer-puncher. The fact that he doesn’t use his jab when he has such a good one is a clear indicator that Tio Rodolfo is sending him into one fight after another with the wrong game plan. His jab can easily be his most potent weapon. So far he’s made it past the “D and C” level fighters that he’s faced which is a positive considering he has close to no amateur experience. But, what happens when he steps up in class? Don’t let the 37-0-1 record fool you there’s not one “B” level fighter on his resume. And forget about the WBC’s ridiculous #7 ranking. (In August, they had him at #5!). That ran king speaks volumes about the LACK of credibility and comical almost criminal ineptitude of that particular sanctioning body. In a past article titled “The Crucifixion (and rebirth?) of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr” I wrote that I believed Floyd Mayweather Sr could fix the problems with Chavez Jr’s style but to be honest any technique driven trainer could do a heck of a lot more for Jr then his uncle. Fortunately, Jr appears to be a fast learner and is still young so a new trainer would be walking into a fixable situation. It can and must be done in order for him to emerge as a threat in a division jam packed with talent!
The Jr middleweight division is one of the deepest in the game! There are so many match up’s that have the potential to be explosive that you’ve got to ask yourself how does Jr fit in, if at all! You’ve got contenders like James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo, Joel Julio, Ronald Hearns, Joe Greene and Yuri Foreman not to mention ex-champions like Cory Spinks, Sergio Mora, Kassim Ouma and Ricardo Mayorga. ALL those guys can fight! And if that’s not enough you’ve got four solid champions, Vernon Forrest, Daniel Santos, Verno Philips and Sergei Dzindziruk. It’s a ROCK solid division with no easy fights at the top. All the planets will have to align for Jr to make a dent in this division. The fact that Chavez Sr has been calling De La Hoya out in the press lately in an attempt to secure a fight for Jr in 2009 is simply BAD managing. First off, Jr needs to fight someone who’s relevant in the division and De La Hoya certainly is NOT. Secondly, how does Chavez Sr think Jr is even ready for De La Hoya without beating one legitimate contender? No one has been more critical of De La Hoya then me but the guy IS a world class fighter and right NOW Jr is NOT! It makes you wonder if Jr also needs a new manager!& nbsp; Chavez Sr should be focused on finding a new trainer as well as a conditioning coach. That’s a no brainer!
Jr gassed out against Matt Vanda and it nearly cost him the fight. There’s no excuse for a 22 year old kid to gas out. I don’t remember Chavez Sr gassing out until after he passed 30 and even then only once in a blue moon. Team Chavez will need an established conditioning coach who can help him maintain his weight properly. He’s listed at 5’ 11” but recent reports have listed him as tall as 6’ 0”. Anyway you slice it he looks too big to comfortably make this weight for too long so they need to keep him on track with a proper dietary regimen to avoid future problems at the scale. He must campaign in this division and attempt to gain his first world title here rather then in the middleweight division. Fix your problems while you’re still fighting smaller fighters so you have the tools to compete with bigger men and NOT get hurt! His frame tells us that he will eventually campaign at middleweight.
If Julio Sr is truly guiding Jr’s career then he’s got to get a Floyd Mayweather Sr or a Nacho Berenstain to take Jr under their wing. Jr could be an EXCELLENT fighter by 26 and be a LEGITIMATE threat in either the Jr middleweight or middleweight division. Floyd Sr has changed Oscar for the better (at least in the ring!) and Nacho has done an AMAZING job with Juan Manuel Marquez. Chavez Jr needs some of that magic! Rodolfo Chavez can play a supporting role for the new head trainer. He’s performed in that capacity in the past when Chavez Sr was fighting and I’m sure he’ll want to do what’s in the best interest of his nephew. Chavez Sr has got to step in and make this necessary change for this thing to work long term. So far, Bob Arum has kept Jr relatively busy. He’s been a headliner on “Latin Fury” and Arum has touted him as a “special fighter” for a while now. But I’m sure even Bob Arum is starting to worry a little about the quality of the product. Arum knew that he had to get Jr back into the ring with Vanda ASAP to redeem himself so he delivered this fight.
Jr must show that he is in the best shape of his life and he must turn it on and KEEP it on for the entire fight. If he stays on the outside with his jab and comes over the top with his right hand he should get Vanda out of there, NO problem! Jr’s excuse last time was that he was sick just prior to the fight and because of it his strength was sapped. Well, now at a 100% he must PROVE it by knocking Vanda out. You’re supposed to take care of guy’s like this when you’re a hot young prospect and if you don’t then you’re NOT. So make it happen. Stop leaning in and hooking with Vanda on the inside because you ’re inviting him to nail you with an uppercut or take a step back and land his right hand which he did over and over the last time around. Set up your hook with a jab and once you land it then fire the right and THEN jab your way out. Stop putting your head on his shoulder and engaging in a brawl when you can easily beat him from the outside with your jab. Both the right hand and the hook will be there for you. Remember these are supposed to be “showcase” fights and you’re supposed to SHINE! You have got to give the people a reason to believe.
Whether Julio Sr or Bob Arum know it or not they’re killing Jr with their bad tactical advice and soft match making. Only time will tell us how much damage is really being done to the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
What happens AFTER the Vanda fight? If we don’t start seeing some changes go into effect ASAP then one thing is for certain, the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Express will run off the tracks.
AND, maybe sooner then later!
(Keep your eyes open for the next installment of “The Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Chronicles” as we follow the up’s and downs of a “can’t miss” prospect!)
The Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Chronicles: Killing him SOFTLY!
By P.H. Burbridge (A voice in the crowd) - Creating a boxing superstar is much like running for President of the United States. You pick your fights carefully and your team spends most of their time spinning your accomplishments so that you appear to be more then you actually are. For Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, it’s getting to the point where no amount of spin will change the public’s perception and unless he makes a big “statement” soon he can easily end up being another in a long line of 2nd generation BUSTS.
Talk about pressure!
On Saturday, November 1st Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (37-0-1, 29 KO’s) is scheduled to meet Matt Vanda (38-7, 21 KO’s) in a rematch of a fight that took place back on July 12th. Although this bout does not qualify as a “big statement” it is an important fight for Chavez Jr. Frankly, this fight is more about repairing Jr’s physce then anything else. The last go around with Vanda was an unexpected learning experience for Jr and he now understands just how “unsupportive” unimpressed fight fans can be. Aside from engaging in his own private “Thrilla in Manila” with Vanda, Chavez Jr had a minor meltdown after the fight and hinted that he might retire as a result of his performance! He was clearly overwhelmed not only by the challenge Vanda put forth but also by the negative reaction he received from the Mexican fans in attendance. He now feels compelled to win back their favor.
From a career perspective you have to wonder what the plan is for Chavez Jr and what his team is doing wrong. Some of the issues are obvious. First and foremost he needs an upper echelon highly respected trainer who can correct his technical flaws (defense) before it’s too late. Watching him apply the wrong tactical approach fight after fight is enough to convince anybody of the disaster just around the corner. Without a trainer who can teach him the mechanics of defensive fighting he is guaranteed to fail. His Uncle, Rodolfo Chavez, Julio Sr’s older brother is the current head trainer and has done a good job of training Jr to mimic Sr’s styl e but he hasn’t done a very good job of bringing out the kids natural talents as a boxer-puncher. The fact that he doesn’t use his jab when he has such a good one is a clear indicator that Tio Rodolfo is sending him into one fight after another with the wrong game plan. His jab can easily be his most potent weapon. So far he’s made it past the “D and C” level fighters that he’s faced which is a positive considering he has close to no amateur experience. But, what happens when he steps up in class? Don’t let the 37-0-1 record fool you there’s not one “B” level fighter on his resume. And forget about the WBC’s ridiculous #7 ranking. (In August, they had him at #5!). That ran king speaks volumes about the LACK of credibility and comical almost criminal ineptitude of that particular sanctioning body. In a past article titled “The Crucifixion (and rebirth?) of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr” I wrote that I believed Floyd Mayweather Sr could fix the problems with Chavez Jr’s style but to be honest any technique driven trainer could do a heck of a lot more for Jr then his uncle. Fortunately, Jr appears to be a fast learner and is still young so a new trainer would be walking into a fixable situation. It can and must be done in order for him to emerge as a threat in a division jam packed with talent!
The Jr middleweight division is one of the deepest in the game! There are so many match up’s that have the potential to be explosive that you’ve got to ask yourself how does Jr fit in, if at all! You’ve got contenders like James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo, Joel Julio, Ronald Hearns, Joe Greene and Yuri Foreman not to mention ex-champions like Cory Spinks, Sergio Mora, Kassim Ouma and Ricardo Mayorga. ALL those guys can fight! And if that’s not enough you’ve got four solid champions, Vernon Forrest, Daniel Santos, Verno Philips and Sergei Dzindziruk. It’s a ROCK solid division with no easy fights at the top. All the planets will have to align for Jr to make a dent in this division. The fact that Chavez Sr has been calling De La Hoya out in the press lately in an attempt to secure a fight for Jr in 2009 is simply BAD managing. First off, Jr needs to fight someone who’s relevant in the division and De La Hoya certainly is NOT. Secondly, how does Chavez Sr think Jr is even ready for De La Hoya without beating one legitimate contender? No one has been more critical of De La Hoya then me but the guy IS a world class fighter and right NOW Jr is NOT! It makes you wonder if Jr also needs a new manager!& nbsp; Chavez Sr should be focused on finding a new trainer as well as a conditioning coach. That’s a no brainer!
Jr gassed out against Matt Vanda and it nearly cost him the fight. There’s no excuse for a 22 year old kid to gas out. I don’t remember Chavez Sr gassing out until after he passed 30 and even then only once in a blue moon. Team Chavez will need an established conditioning coach who can help him maintain his weight properly. He’s listed at 5’ 11” but recent reports have listed him as tall as 6’ 0”. Anyway you slice it he looks too big to comfortably make this weight for too long so they need to keep him on track with a proper dietary regimen to avoid future problems at the scale. He must campaign in this division and attempt to gain his first world title here rather then in the middleweight division. Fix your problems while you’re still fighting smaller fighters so you have the tools to compete with bigger men and NOT get hurt! His frame tells us that he will eventually campaign at middleweight.
If Julio Sr is truly guiding Jr’s career then he’s got to get a Floyd Mayweather Sr or a Nacho Berenstain to take Jr under their wing. Jr could be an EXCELLENT fighter by 26 and be a LEGITIMATE threat in either the Jr middleweight or middleweight division. Floyd Sr has changed Oscar for the better (at least in the ring!) and Nacho has done an AMAZING job with Juan Manuel Marquez. Chavez Jr needs some of that magic! Rodolfo Chavez can play a supporting role for the new head trainer. He’s performed in that capacity in the past when Chavez Sr was fighting and I’m sure he’ll want to do what’s in the best interest of his nephew. Chavez Sr has got to step in and make this necessary change for this thing to work long term. So far, Bob Arum has kept Jr relatively busy. He’s been a headliner on “Latin Fury” and Arum has touted him as a “special fighter” for a while now. But I’m sure even Bob Arum is starting to worry a little about the quality of the product. Arum knew that he had to get Jr back into the ring with Vanda ASAP to redeem himself so he delivered this fight.
Jr must show that he is in the best shape of his life and he must turn it on and KEEP it on for the entire fight. If he stays on the outside with his jab and comes over the top with his right hand he should get Vanda out of there, NO problem! Jr’s excuse last time was that he was sick just prior to the fight and because of it his strength was sapped. Well, now at a 100% he must PROVE it by knocking Vanda out. You’re supposed to take care of guy’s like this when you’re a hot young prospect and if you don’t then you’re NOT. So make it happen. Stop leaning in and hooking with Vanda on the inside because you ’re inviting him to nail you with an uppercut or take a step back and land his right hand which he did over and over the last time around. Set up your hook with a jab and once you land it then fire the right and THEN jab your way out. Stop putting your head on his shoulder and engaging in a brawl when you can easily beat him from the outside with your jab. Both the right hand and the hook will be there for you. Remember these are supposed to be “showcase” fights and you’re supposed to SHINE! You have got to give the people a reason to believe.
Whether Julio Sr or Bob Arum know it or not they’re killing Jr with their bad tactical advice and soft match making. Only time will tell us how much damage is really being done to the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
What happens AFTER the Vanda fight? If we don’t start seeing some changes go into effect ASAP then one thing is for certain, the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Express will run off the tracks.
AND, maybe sooner then later!
(Keep your eyes open for the next installment of “The Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Chronicles” as we follow the up’s and downs of a “can’t miss” prospect!)