By Jason Kim: Unbeaten middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) is probably facing the best opponent of his eight year pro career this Saturday night against 26-year-old Billy Lyell (22-8, 4 KO’s) at the Estadio Banorte, Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico. Chavez, 24, has effectively been filling in for not having much of an amateur career by extending his time facing B and C level fighters.

By the time that most fighters get to 41 fights, if they’re any good, they’ve already fought for a title many times. Yet Chavez Jr. is just now facing fringe contenders. Lyell isn’t ranked in the top tier of the light middleweight division, and is just another B level fighter for Chavez to add to his growing collection.

In an article at vindy.com, Lyell said “I’m 100%, no excuses. Having the ability to watch tape and know who you’re fighting five or six weeks in advance makes a world of difference.” Lyell has fought guys like Duddy, Vanes Martirosyan, Sebastian Sylvester, Luis Ramon Campas and James Kirland during his career, losing to all of them. In most cases, Lyell fights hard and does a reasonably good job in losing but sometimes he just gets blown out and dominated like with David Lopez, Martirosyan and Sylvester.

It’s hard to say what Chavez Jr. will do with him because he did about the same as Lyell against a common opponent Duddy. Chavez is ranked high in the middleweight division, but he doesn’t look like he’s as good as his ranking. He seems like a bottom ranked fighter overall, but that doesn’t matter because he’s still going to get a title shot against WBC middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik if Chavez beats Lyell next Saturday.