By Kenneth Friedman: Former WBC 160 pound champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (51-3-1, 33 KOs) obliterated Colombian journeyman Evert Bravo (25-11-1, 19 KOs) in stopping him in the first round last Saturday night in a light heavyweight bout at the Estadio Antonio R. Marquez, in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. Chavez Jr. weighed in as a cruiserweight in coming in at 175 1/4 pounds. That’s one-fourth pound over the light heavyweight limit.
(Photo credit: World Boxing Council)
The way Chavez Jr. looked last Saturday night, he’d be better off staying at 175 rather than trying to melt down to 168. Chavez Jr. has proven repeatedly in the past that he struggles badly in trying to make 168. Chavez’s performance’s deteriorate when he fights at 168, because he’s clearly too big for the weight class. At the same time, Chavez Jr. lacks the power and talent to fight against the elite at light heavyweight. He tried fighting a light heavyweight against fringe contender Andrzej Fonfara. Chavez Jr. lost.
Fighting for the first time in two years since 2017, the 33-year-old Chavez Jr. trapped Bravo against the ropes, and dropped him hard with a powerful left hook to the body. Bravo, 34, was in far too much pain to get back up to resume fighting. As such, the referee halted the fight at 1:22 of round one.
Before last night’s fight, Chavez’s last fight came against Saul Canelo Alvarez in May 2017 in an embarrassing 12 round unanimous decision defeat. That fight was shown on HBO pay-per-view.
Bravo landed some nice shots before he was taken out by Chavez Jr. The hand speed and punching power by Bravo looked to be better than Chavez’s, but wasn’t able to handle the body shots from the still mildly popular Mexican fighter.
Chavez Jr. plans on fighting Alfredo Angulo in September
“Boxing is like that. I wanted to give the fans more of a show, but that hook was well connected,” said Chavez Jr. via Fight News. I’m very happy. I prepared like never before. I want to return in September against “Perro” Angulo and then go for the super middleweight or light heavyweight title.”
The 37-year-old Alfredo Angulo (25-7, 21 KOs) has lost two out of his last three fights, and is looking over-the-hill at this point in his 14-year pro career. Chavez Jr’s handlers plan on taking things slow in matching him against Angulo rather than one of the top tier super middleweights in the division. Angulo stopped Evert Bravo in two rounds April. Chavez Jr. and Angulo are about at the same level right now in terms of their talent.