When Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. enters the ring against Canelo Alvarez, he will be an underdog and could find himself weight-drained. And yet, a focused and fit Chavez remains a compelling talent. Here are five keys to a Chavez victory against Canelo.
It’s a fight that no one demanded in a sport known for producing them, but by the time Canelo Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KOs) enter the ring on May 6 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, boxing fans will have replaced their skepticism with fascination, whether perverse or legitimate.
It’s difficult to say whether Canelo-Chavez is imbued with any inherent value, as the match’s compelling aspects — like Canelo potentially facing a larger, stronger foe with genuine fighting instincts — are mitigated by maddening factors such as the catchweight of 164.5 pounds, which could ultimately be a death sentence for Chavez.
And yet, Canelo-Chavez is a marquee event, one of the most significant on 2017’s boxing calendar. For Alvarez, the chance to officially stake his claim as Mexico’s most revered fighter by bludgeoning a hated rival who he feels has benefited from nepotism is tantalizing; for Chavez Jr., the opportunity to erase the errors of his early career and prove himself worthy of carrying his father’s name into the ring could be cathartic.
But does Chavez actually stand a chance in this fight? For some, the simple prospect of slimming down to 164.5 without severing a limb seems impossible. Chavez could very likely enter the ring emaciated and beaten before the first bell on Saturday. But if Chavez’s supposed diligence in training camp has paid off, and if he’s done everything right leading up to the bout, things could get very, very interesting.
With that, here are five keys to victory for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. against Canelo Alvarez.