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The recent announcement that Julio Cesar Chavez
Jr., 48-1-1 (32), had turned down what appears to be a very generous offer from
his promoter, Top Rank Promotions, raised a few eyebrows and questions in the
boxing community. While there is no question that Chavez has worked himself
into a legitimate pay-per-view attraction, especially within the lucrative and
insatiable Mexican fight market, it also would appear his promoter was offering
appropriate, if not overly generous, legitimate PPV-scale money.
Chavez turned pro under gifted albeit difficult
circumstances in the fall of 2003. With the name “Chavez” across the front of
your trunks, there is a good chance your Dad can get anyone with any and all
clout in the fight game on the telephone on the first ring. However, having the
name “Chavez” on your trunks will also bring an intense glare from the spotlight
and the pressures that come with it, under which other novice fighters don’t
have to face. When discussing Mexican boxing, the name “Chavez” is just short
of royalty. His surname got Junior a close look and would see him fast-tracked
to appearing on strong, showcase cards on which to develop and gain a following.
While entering the pro game with limited amateur experience, Chavez did show
early signs of inheriting Dad’s outstanding beard as well as the famous left hook
to the body, long the trademark of Mexican fighters. While Junior was somewhat
limited in terms of experience, he was very tough, game, could punch and
appeared unfazed when facing experienced opposition.
While this calm, collective approach to the game
allowed Chavez to relax in the ring, it also allowed him at times to relax a
bit too much out of the ring as well. And he was matched very well in the
developing stages of his career. Chavez had the right opponents in front of him
in order to gain the experience he may have lacked from a limited amateur
career while at the same time, being tested and improving with each fight.
Junior showed development and was starting to look like a fighter who had more
going for him than a last name and some good pugilistic genes inherited from
his Hall of Fame father. Supporters were thrilled to be watching the next
generation of Chavez fighting while detractors lobbed criticism at the younger
Julio as a limited brawler getting breaks because of his father’s ring
accomplishments.
By early 2011, Chavez was an impressive 41-0-1,
including wins over tough opposition like Matt Vanda, Billy Lyell and John
Duddy. In his second fight of 2011, he defeated Sebastian Zbik to capture the vacant
World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight title. He defended the title three times
over the following year and looked good doing so in perhaps his strongest run
as a professional. Chavez defeated tough contenders Peter Manfredo Jr. (TKO 5),
Marco Antonio Rubio (UD 12) and Andy Lee (TKO 7) in an impressive trio of
defenses.
Next up was his first legitimate, showcase fight on
the big stage and in front of his biggest audience. Chavez would face true middleweight
king Sergio Martinez, 51-2-2 (28), a champion who owned wins over Kelly Pavlik,
Paul Williams, Matthew Macklin and many others. Prior to this bout, we all were
made well aware that Chavez Jr. was a strong-willed individual who certainly
walked to the beat of his own drum. Pre-fight footage of a frustrated Freddie Roach
was a common staple on telecasts of HBO’s “24/7” series that documented the
build-up to the big fight. Chavez often eschewed a regular training routine
with headman Roach to prepare by himself in the living room of his rented home
- if he decided to train at all that day. In the end, there were many concerns
about his preparation as he headed into the bout. And it appeared to play out
in the fight.
While Chavez stayed somewhat competitive in the
fight, he lost most of the bout save for the final 30 seconds when he hurt and
dropped Martinez. The frustrating part for his supporters is that he looked
like a fighter who appeared to be strong enough to finish Martinez had he opened
up earlier in the bout. But he fought like a fighter holding back, afraid his
conditioning would belie him and he would gas out should he unload the clip too
early.
Despite this, Top Rank and Arum remained devoted
and supportive of the talented yet unpredictable - if not outright difficult -
young Mexican star. Since the Martinez bout, Chavez Jr. has chalked up two wins
against Texas tough guy Bryan Vera. While Vera is as honest and solid a fighter
as there is, all things being equal and with both fighters at their best,
Chavez wins handily. But again, weight issues dogged the pre-fight build-up
with the final weight expectation changing time and again to accommodate Chavez,
who appeared to have trouble making the light heavyweight limit let alone super
middleweight or the (originally contracted) middleweight limit.
In a pre-fight interview, when asked what weight in
which the bout would be fought, Vera’s trainer, Ronnie Shields quipped, “I’ll
let you know after Chavez weighs in.” Chavez prevailed in a close fight in bout
one and, more convincingly, won the rematch, fought at a higher weight (well
above Vera’s natural fighting weight).
And now as Top Rank and Bob Arum looked to the
future, they again looked to showcase Chavez in a breakout fight that would
expand his brand at the game’s elite level. A bout with exciting, rugged World
Boxing Association (WBA) world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin seemed a
great fit for a summer blockbuster. Chavez was approached and was made a very
lucrative offer with reports of an estimated guarantee of $15 million over two
fights and a cut of PPV sales. And, that was if he lost the first fight!
If he won, Junior was looking at $17 million and
a cut of the PPV sales. While I admittedly don’t understand all the finite
details of other revenue streams like foreign sales, merchandising, etc., I do
know that in today’s economic climate and with the public’s limited entertainment
budget, in a sports industry that can be accurately described as volatile and
unpredictable at best, this was an elite-level financial proposition. It was a
very rich offer with an upside for both promoter and fighter to do well (however,
entering the bouts, the only guarantees would truthfully be for Chavez). It was
also an outstanding offer considering it was to a fighter that has faced one
elite, legitimate PPV fighter – Martinez - and came up short.
Bob Arum and Top Rank have shown a great
commitment to Chavez and their belief in his potential and they appear willing
to back this belief with a strong financial investment. Chavez doesn’t appear
to hold the same commitment to the very promotional outfit that took him under
its wing and did a great job in building the next generation of the “Chavez”
brand. Despite protests of manager Billy Keane to the contrary, Top Rank has
paid Chavez handsomely up to this point in his career and was clearly looking
to build on that financial foundation for its fighter, one whom, in all
honesty, appears to have been accommodated in every way possible.
In recent interviews, Keane, clearly the one
guiding Chavez away from Top Rank’s offers, said, “Julio
just wants to be treated fairly,” and that Top Rank had “mistreated Julio through
this negotiation.” Chavez has delivered on some exciting performances and has a
fan base that is very supportive. He has a promotional firm that appears to be
willing to compensate him handsomely for his performances and help build him
into a major PPV attraction. Boxing fans have forgotten the tag Chavez was
labeled with early in his career in relation to his Dad and are ready and
willing to support him for who he is,
not just what his last name happens to be.
When fans are expected to lay down big dollars to
pay for the kind of remuneration a fighter like Chavez is offered, boxing
quickly becomes a “show me” sport. What Chavez is showing fans right now is not
going to endear him to those trying to support a fighter in a volatile industry
with the limited dollars available. Keane appears to have no trouble bringing a
“strictly business” approach to the negations and, fair enough, that is what he
should do. That’s his job.
However, Chavez seems surprised and frustrated when
the promotional firm that takes all the financial risks on their client would work
off a business format that would appear to be based on a more than fair and
equitable market value compensation for its client.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is an exciting young
fighter who I look forward to seeing in the ring as soon as possible. I just
hope he isn’t getting advice that sees him sitting on the sidelines while watching
his career tick away as he turns his back on an excellent proposition tied to
victories that would only get better and better. Chavez is certainly going to
test the patience of the fans who have backed him throughout his career when he
chooses to pass on fights they crave, fights that would see him compensated in
the millions.
Frankly, they just won’t understand it and it will
start to fracture the foundation of support he and his promoter have worked so
hard to build. Chavez should absolutely do what he feels is best for himself
and his career. I just hope he isn’t being guided to make choices he will come
to regret later.
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