Arum gushing over Chavez Jr. vs. Rubio bout

By Boxing News - 01/03/2012 - Comments

Image: Arum gushing over Chavez Jr. vs. Rubio boutBy Dan Ambrose: Rather than comment on why his fighter WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (44-1, 31 KO’s) isn’t fighting Sergio Martinez, who the WBC recently ordered Chavez Jr. to fight, his promoter Bob Arum instead gushed over how great he considers Chavez’s next fight against No.1 ranked World Boxing Council contender Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KO’s) on February 4th at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Arum told RingTV “I have no idea what people in general know or don’t know about Rubio. I just know that Chavez gets extremely good ratings when he fights on HBO, and that the people who really follow boxing know what a dangerous opponent Rubio is.”

Arum is talking about another thing altogether. Rubio vs. Chavez Jr. is certainly a good fight and so much better than any of the other fights that Chavez Jr. has had during his spoon-fed career. However, Chavez Jr. was supposed to be fighting Martinez until Chavez asked the WBC for permission to take another fight instead of having to defend his belt against the dangerous Martinez. Arum recently said that the boxing public doesn’t know who Rubio is and that he’s not interested in him.

If that’s the case then why is he allowing Rubio to fight Chavez Jr. when Arum is saying he doesn’t know what the boxing public knows about Rubio? Well then why put Rubio if only the hardcore fans know who he is? Why not go with Martinez, since he’s certainly much better known by the boxing public than Rubio, who has fought most of his career in Mexico. Martinez at least has been a steady on HBO for the past two years.

I think he’s far better known than Rubio. Of course, this isn’t what this is all about. Rubio has been selected over Martinez because he’s perceived to be the lesser threat of the two. I’m sure they recognize that he’s a dangerous opponent but he’s not nearly as dangerous as Martinez. It’s not even close. Rubio is someone that pounds away on his opponents with his heavy hands and scores his knockouts usually from an accumulation of shots. He doesn’t have Martinez’s speed or one-punch power and can be beaten by bigger fighters. Kelly Pavlik, 6’2”, easily beat Rubio two years ago by a 9th round stoppage.

He just had too much size for him and got the better of him during most of their exchanges and had Rubio on the move just trying to survive after the early rounds. Chavez, 6’0”, is also big, although he’s not nearly the same puncher that Pavlik is. Chavez and Rubio posed together recently and Chavez Jr. looked at least 30 pounds heavier. It was like watching a 160 pound middleweight stand next to a 190+ cruiserweight. Chavez Jr. is massive and I can’t understand now he’s able to drain down to 160 to make weight.

He’s getting away with it now and then rehydrating to around 180. However, he’s not going to be able to do it too much longer and it all stops for Chavez Jr. once he gets to super middleweight. There won’t be any gift titles. At that weight, Chavez Jr. will lose to basically every champion and his high ratings won’t help him. Chavez Jr. will likely have to skip the super middleweight division entirely and move up to 176 if he wants to have any success for the remainder of his career once he can no longer make middleweight.

Chavez Jr. has had things pretty easy in the past year or two, struggling to beat 2nd tier fighter Billy Lyell, and then beating the WBC paper champion Sebastian Zbik, who had his WBC title given to him by the WBC after they stripped Martinez, and then beating fringe contender Peter Manfredo Jr. by a 5th round TKO. It’s been pretty weak opposition for Chavez Jr. and Rubio is clearly a step up for him. However, if Chavez Jr. can come into the fight weighing close to 180, he should win the fight and hold onto his belt a little while longer.

I don’t see Martinez getting a shot at Chavez Jr. after that either. He’ll either bypass somehow or vacate rather than take the Martinez fight and suffer a one-punch knockout loss. Arum isn’t crazy and he’ll keep the Chavez Jr. gravy train running as long as he can through one trick or another. He’s perfect for boxing fans who remember his famous father Chavez Sr. and want to see if he’s as good as him. He’s not, and he never will be. It doesn’t matter though because Arum isn’t going to let Chavez Jr. face anyone that can expose him anytime soon.



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