by James Slater – It has been confirmed by a number of sources that unbeaten junior-middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Junior will face unbeaten Argentine Luciano Leonel Cuello in his next fight. As part of the Top rank promoted Latin Fury card which will also feature Humberto Soto, Fernando Montiel and Jose Luis Castillo in action, Chavez will be facing only the third unbeaten fighter of his pro career..
A 24-year-old, Cuello is a natural 154-pounder who has fought his entire four-and-a-half year career at the weight. Boxing all but one of his pro bouts at home (the exception being his last fight, which took place in Spain), there are no obviously recognisable names on “El Principito’s” record. The Chavez fight will without a doubt be the unknown’s biggest battle to date. Can he take advantage of the opportunity?
At 23-0(10), the first thing noticed is the fact that Cuello is no big puncher statistically. Also, the Argentine has no less than eighteen wins over men who had losing records going in. Fans who have already been critical of the soon-to-be 23-year-old Mexican son of a legend are almost sure to get critical again at this piece of matchmaking.
Basically, other than his perfect record, Cuello has nothing that makes him look like anything special. Chavez, 38-0-1(29) is the bigger puncher, the more experienced pro fighter and he will be enjoying home advantage over a rival who has barely ventured out of his own homeland.
Add it all up, and unless Cuello proves to have a style that a perhaps under par Chavez has trouble working out on fight night, you have what looks like another easy win for the big name junior-middleweight. Chavez had had a few tough fights against good men – the two wins over the tough Matt Vanda, for example – but those fans and experts who feel he is being moved too slowly would be within their rights to make the same claim regarding March’s bout. We know Chavez had next to no amateur experience and that he is still very young, but a fight with Cuello, and a win as it will surely be for him, will prove nothing – nor will it teach Chavez Junior much.
The best man Cuello has been in with is arguably fellow Argentine fighter Alejandro Gustavo Falliga. Entering the December 2007 fight with a decent 14-2-2 record, the 26-year-old had Cuello down twice in the fight – in the 1st round and in the 8th. Eventually winning on points over ten rounds, Cuello had been given a real battle by his local rival. A mere two wins on – against guys with a combined record of 4-16-2 – it’s unlikely Cuello has improved too much.
In over his head, not a dangerous puncher and a fighter who has been in big trouble in at least one fight before now – Cuello looks set for a beating next month. Hopefully after he’s given him it, Julio Cesar Chavez Junior will be moved up in quality.