Photo: A relaxed, confident Chavez says he's unconcerned with the controversy surrounding the first fight with Vera. pic.twitter.com/5WPkZR8Ett
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 25, 2014
By Dan Ambrose: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (47-1-1, 32 KO’s) is three days away from his weigh-in on Friday for his rematch against Brian Vera (23-7, 14 KO’s) on Saturday night. In looking at some of the picture of Chavez Jr, who is wearing a jacket in order to take off water weight, he looks kind of chunky around the face and the natural thing to wonder is whether he’ll be able to get down to the 168 lb limit by Friday’s weigh-in. When they fought each other last year, Chavez Jr. was unable to make the 168 lb limit for the fight and they eventually had to raise the limit to 173 lbs to accommodate Chavez Jr.
I’m hoping Chavez Jr. will be able to make weight this time, but he’s still looking quite heavy for being only 3 days away. I’d estimate that Chavez Jr. is still close to 190 lbs right now, and who knows how much he’s already lost to get to where he is right now. If Chavez Jr. can’t make weight, the fight will still go ahead, because it’s not as if a title will be on the line.
This is simply a rematch between the two of them, but it’ll still be bad for Chavez Jr. If he routinely can’t make 168, then it’s probably a good idea for Chavez Jr. to move up to light heavyweight or cruiserweight so that he can make weight comfortably. He seems to have filled out since 2012 when he was beaten by Sergio Martinez in September of that year, and moving up in weight 8 pounds might not be enough of a bump up in weight for him. After all, Chavez Jr. was having to to through extraordinary measures just to make 160.
If it was so hard for Chavez Jr. to make 160, then eight additional pounds might not be enough for him. He might need another 7 pounds to fight at 175 lbs in order for him to be able to comfortably make weight. The real test to whether Chavez Jr. belongs at super middleweight or maybe cruiserweight is how heavy he is after he rehydrates. If Chavez Jr. is rehydrating to 200 lbs, then he really needs to be fighting at crusierweight because it’s insane for him to be taking off 32 lbs of water weight just to get down to the 168 lb limit. And taking off 25 lbs of water weight to fight at light heavyweight would still be way too much weight for Chavez Jr. to be taking off for his fights.
I know it’s great to have a big weight advantage in the ring against your lighter opponents, but Chavez Jr. needs to be at correct weight for his body so that he can perform at a higher level. You can’t expect Chavez Jr. to be able to throw a lot of punches each round against Vera if he had to cut 25-32 lbs, can you?
If Chavez Jr. were to have to compete at 175 against guys like Sergey Kovalev, Adonis Stevenson and Bernard Hopkins, it would be very tough on him. Having to absorb their huge shots for 12 rounds would be the ultimate test of his iron chin.
The Chavez Jr-Vera fight will be taking place at the Alamodome, in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
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