By Jim Dower: As expected, WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (45-0-1, 31 KO’s) made weight for his fight against #3 WBC Andy Lee (28-1, 20 KO’s) today at Friday’s weigh-in. Chavez Jr. weighed one pound under the middleweight limit at 159 pounds.

Lee came in at 159.25 lbs. Chavez Jr. and Lee will be facing off at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas in front of what could be 40,000 Chavez Jr. fans.

Lee is going to have his work cut out for him on Saturday, because Chavez Jr. will likely be close to 180lbs by the time they step inside the ring, and with all the fans supporting him, he’ll be fighting with a lot of energy. You’ve got to figure that if the rounds of even slightly close, Chavez Jr. will get credit for them with the judges because the fans will be cheering every shot he throws in this fight. Although Chavez Jr. lives in Mexico, this will be like a home fight for him because of the large Chavez Jr. fan base from El Paso and nearby Mexico.

For Lee to win this fight, he’s going to have to stay on the move the entire time and not let Chavez Jr. bull him to the ropes or get inside on him. Lee is all legs and isn’t built to take hard body shots for 12 rounds like the type that Chavez Jr. typically throws in his fights. Lee is the better mover and the more crisper puncher, but he tends to tire out in the second half of his fights. Lee, with his straight up European style of fighting, is vulnerable to head shots.