Canelo Alvarez takes on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a somewhat perplexing but still intriguing matchup. Here are five reasons to watch this all-Mexican Cinco de Mayo clash.
It’s easy to dismiss Canelo Avlarez-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at a glance. The fight is contracted to take place at 164.5 pounds, and Chavez (50-2-1, 32 KOs) hasn’t fought below 167.5 since 2012. Canelo Alvarez has pontificated about growing into the middleweight division, and yet he’s content to leapfrog it as long as he isn’t facing Gennady Golovkin. In boxing circles, there’s been absolutely zero demand for this fight, especially since Canelo (48-1-1, 34 KOs) won the lineal middleweight title.
And yet, one can’t help but be intrigued by the prospect of a focused and fit Chavez — a mercurial fighter who comes into this bout with a natural size and strength advantage (assuming he isn’t a dehydrated skeleton when he steps on the scales this Friday). If Chavez has somehow managed to cut weight effectively and finally harnesses his potential, this fight could get interesting.
Make no mistake, Canelo vs Chavez Jr. is a marquee event, even if it isn’t necessarily a quality match-up. While the fight’s inherent value can be debated and dissected, May 6 will be a major night for the sport and one that would be well served capitalizing on the buzz Anthony Joshua’s knockout of Wladimir Klitschko created last weekend.
Does this fight have the chance to be great? Maybe. At its best, what Canelo-Chavez can do is pleasantly surprise fans. Both combatants have appealing fighting styles, and there’s a genuine rivalry and disdain at play that should spice up the proceedings. There are also a few intriguing subplots to monitor, not to mention an entertaining undercard.
With that, here are five reasons to watch the hot mess that is Canelo Alvarez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
5. Mexican supremacy is at stake
Make no mistake, as perplexing as Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. seems, the fight is, in many respects, a battle for Mexican supremacy. Boxing is ingrained in Mexico’s fabric and is integral to national pride and identity, and both Canelo and Chavez have been revered and criticized at different points in their careers by perhaps the sport’s most discerning fanbase.
In this fight, Canelo is seeking to solidify his status as Mexico’s best current fighter, as well as its most popular one; Chavez, on the other hand, is eyeing redemption — for unrealized potential and to finally be worthy of carrying his father’s name into the ring.
Canelo somewhat justifiably feels slighted by Chavez, who dismissed him as an opponent years ago when Junior was peaking and fighting only one weight class north of Alvarez. Based on HBO’s “Face Off” with Max Kellerman, Canelo’s feelings toward Chavez have since devolved into disdain bordering on genuine hatred. If Canelo is to be believed, Chavez is merely a product of nepotism and has wasted and insulted the privilege he was born into.
Chavez clearly riled Canelo up when accusing him of ducking Gennady Golovkin, which imbues this fight with a unique angle: Chavez as the potentially endearing underdog in a prime position to teach Canelo a lesson. Regardless of which narrative speaks to fans, national pride is enough to make blood boil when it comes to Canelo-Chavez. And that should lead to a compelling clash for however long it lasts.
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