(Photo: Alma Montiel) By Allan Fox: WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-0-1, 32 KO’s) will finally be facing Sergio Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KO’s) on September 15th after an entire year of being chased relentlessly by the hard hitting Martinez. It wasn’t until Chavez Jr. rolled over the likes of Peter Manfredo Jr., Sebastian Zbik, Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee that his promoter Bob Arum believed him capable of beating the 37-year-old Martinez.

Arum still isn’t sure how Chavez Jr. will do, but obviously he’s hoping he comes out of this fight in one piece so that Chavez Jr. continues to grow in popularity with boxing fans.

Chavez Jr. isn’t considered the big puncher in this fight. That title belongs to Martinez, who has knocked a number of fighters out with a hard left hands in the past couple of years. Chavez Jr, however, feels like he’s the bigger puncher for some reason, saying this as quoted by ESPN “This is a fight I’ve always wanted. Martinez has said a lot of bad things. Let’s see if he wants to go to the center of the ring and fight like a man. I have real one-punch knockout power. I don’t think that Martinez has that power.”

Chavez Jr. might be kidding himself a little here, because I can’t remember seeing one fight where he knocked someone out with one shot. When Chavez Jr. was fighting 2nd and 3rd tier opposition, he was able to stop some guys with body shots, but he’s never been a huge puncher. This is interesting because if Chavez Jr. believes that he’s a bigger puncher than Martinez then he’ll be that much more likely in wanting to stand in front of him and try trading on September 15th.

Chavez Jr’s main asset is his size. He weighs over 180 pounds when he steps into the ring against smaller middleweights, and that’s where he has a big edge. How much longer Chavez Jr. will be able to continue dehydrating to make 160 is the big question. At 168, Chavez Jr’s days of being a champion will likely be over, because those guys rehydrate to 180 themselves, but they actually are good boxers and have excellent power. I don’t think Chavez Jr. will have a place at this weight, because his number one asset – his size – will be a non factor.