28.10.08 – by James Slater – When they met back in July, Julio Cesar Chavez and Matt Vanda boxed a controversially scored and very close fight. Now, with just a few days to go before their anticipated rematch, both light-middleweights are confident of achieving victory. Fight # one went to the cards after ten rounds of good action; will fight #two end in a knockout?
Vanda, who many people saw as the winner back in the summer, has made it clear he will win, and that he will do so by stoppage.
“We’re not going to leave it to the judges, we’re going to start in the 11th round where we left off,” Vanda said at Monday’s press conference to promote November 1st’s fight. “I’m going to kick his ass, I am going to break his nose in the 5th round and knock him out.”
Aggressively confident the 39-7(22) Vanda certainly is.
For his part, though just as confident, Chavez Junior, 37-0-1(29) was no way near as aggressive.
“There has been a lot of controversy about who won [the first fight], this will be the opportunity for both of us to make a statement,” Chavez said at the conference. “I don’t like to make excuses, but it wasn’t my night. There’s not much to say, but I am going to win by knockout or by decision, either way I am going to win.”
The unbeaten Chavez Junior was reportedly sick going into the first fight, and if this was indeed the case – and there’s no reason to disbelieve the claim – he could well present the confident Vanda with a wholly different fight this time around. In scraping a close split decision victory when under the weather, Chavez showed a lot of heart. Now, when fully fit and strong, the 22-year-old may well surprise the eight year older man. Or maybe Vanda’s style will once again prove a tough one for the son of a Mexican legend to cope with effectively.
Interestingly, Vanda has boxed since the July fight, whereas Chavez has not. Only three-and-a-half months have passed since their initial contest, so no way is Chavez going to be suffering in any way from ring-rust. But it shows the self belief of Vanda, taking another fight in the run up to the financially rewarding return. Suppose he’d lost his tune-up?
Vanda promises a KO, but Chavez is the bigger puncher. But then again, the 30-year-old who calls himself “The Predator” has only ever been stopped once, in 8-rounds back in 2004. Therefore Chavez will have some tough time getting his man out of there.
Last time the bout took place in Mexico, this time it happens in Las Vegas, and unless I’m wrong the judges’ cards will be needed once more. This writer picks Chavez Junior to win again on points, only this time in a more convincing fashion.