by James Slater: Reportedly there is a clash in the works between two sons of boxing legends. Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr and Hector Camacho Jnr both fought on the same card last Saturday night in Mexico. They both won, and it now seems they will meet sometime in the coming year. Is this a fight to see, or one to ignore?
One can see the promotional angle such a meeting will possibly feed off. Chavez senior and Camacho senior fought, in a highly anticipated grudge-match, back in the 1990s. Chavez won easily, giving the cocky Camacho a severe beating along the way to a big points win. A fight between the next generation warriors will, the promoters hope, rekindle some of the “magic” the original bout made. Also, Camacho Jnr will be afforded the opportunity of hyping up the fight with tall tales of how he will be entering the fight with nothing but revenge for his father on his mind. The fight too, will be another in the long running Mexico Vs. Puerto Rico boxing feud. But will this particular fight appear attractive to the majority of fight fans?
Chavez Jnr is popular enough, but what most want to see from him now is a step up in class. A fight with the long since disappointing Camacho Jnr does not qualify. And as for “Junior Macho,” his style of fighting is boring, his heart has been questioned in the past and his weight has fluctuated also. What type of threat would he pose to the unbeaten Chavez? Camacho’s southpaw stance may give young Julio some problems for a few rounds, but after that the Mexican body puncher will surely grind him down and possibly even make him quit.
Bottom line, this fight is not, on paper at least, competitive enough. Not only that, it could also be a stinker of a fight – especially if the once promising 29-year-old who is now 45-3-1(25) tries to run – which is a distinct possibility. Camacho Jnr looked to be all done as a fighter a couple of bouts ago, when he weighed-in for a fight at just below the light-heavyweight limit. This also begs the question of what kind of fighting shape he’ll be in after he’s dropped sufficient pounds to be able to accommodate Chavez (I don’t see Julio going up any higher that middleweight, if he goes up at all for this fight).
The more I look at this potential fight, the more I see it as nothing more than a high profile waste of time and money – time for Chavez, money for the fans who pay to see it. Camacho Jnr had his shot, now it’s over. Chavez Jnr, on the other hand, is going places right now. Hopefully anywhere but towards a ring with the son of the man his dad beat up 16 years ago.