Julio “200 lbs.” Chavez Jr.
BETTING ON WEEKEND FIGHTS
San Francisco, CA– If I were a betting man… Wait a minute, I am a betting man… Let me rephrase that. If I had more money in my pocket I would divide it by three and put it up against the favorites this weekend. There’s a strong aroma of “Upset” in the air and if you don’t smell it, then I’ll describe it in detail to you.
CHAVEZ JR. JUST DOESN’T GIVE A S*IT!
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Brian Vera (HBO) Carson, CA. (12 rounds-165 lb.) The younger Julio Cesar Chavez was scheduled earlier this month for his first fight in about a year, pr since he was thoroughly outclassed by Sergio Martinez minus the foul fest final 180 seconds of the bout. But Chavez, whom no one has ever accused of living a spartan lifestyle, pulled out because of what looked like a paper cut on his right eyelid. A closer examination of his face in the picture posted on his Twitter account revealed what is perhaps the real reason for the delay: a double chin. The weight for this fight is contracted at 165 lbs. but rumors are already swirling that the Chavez camp is asking for the bout to take place at 173 lbs. instead.
JULIO’S SON HAS NO DISCIPLINE!
The son of the Mexican legend is making a grave mistake if he is not taking this camp seriously because his opponent this Saturday is the rough and rugged Texan Brian Vera, a proven upset specialist who boasts wins over plenty of guys he was supposed to lose to such as “The Contender” winner Sergio Mora, Serhiy Dzinziruk, and Andy Lee, protege of the late Emanuel Steward. Do not be shocked if Vera continues his overachieving ways against boxing’s spoiled Mexican princess. Odds: 7-1 for Chavez. Nava’s pick: Vera by Decision (if the judges don’t screw him) or late stoppage.
HBO ALSO HAS LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT ENCOUNTER
Adonis Stevenson-Tavoris Cloud (HBO) Montreal, Canada. (12 rounds-175 lb.) After starching lineal champion Chad Dawson in the blink of an eye in June,
Stevenson has become somewhat of a monster, leaving boxing viewers everywhere in awe and fear of his power. Two things have been lost in the hoopla surrounding the Canadian former pimp. One is that Dawson was still recovering from the beating he took seven pounds south against 168 lb. king Andre Ward. In hindsight, dropping that low in weight was a horrible move for Dawson and undoubtedly took too much out of him. Coming back against a dangerous banger like Stevenson was a detriment to “Bad Chad‘s” recovery process.
ADONIS IS GREEN FOR HIS AGE
Another forgotten fact inside the excitement is the fact that Stevenson, although 36 years old, lacks plenty of fundamentals yet has almost no time left in his career for development. With very little amateur experience, Stevenson is dependent on his punching power to win fights. But as Lucas Matthysse learned last week against Danny Garcia, sometimes you must adjust when your opponent takes your best shot and doesn’t go anywhere. Although Cloud was given a boxing lesson by future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins in his most recent fight and earned a gift decision against Gabriel Campillo in the fight before that, those two gentlemen were cutie-pie slickster types who work the ring. Cloud is a very powerful puncher himself. Maybe not as powerful as Stevenson but I get the sense that he is physically stronger than the Canadian and will wear his opponent down to a stoppage in the late rounds where Stevenson will run out of gas after punching himself out. Odds: 5-2 for Stevenson. Nava’s pick: Cloud by late stoppage.
Jason B. Nava