By James Slater – The word now is (according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com), Miguel Cotto, the reigning WBA light middleweight champ, will not be facing Julio Cesar Chavez Junior on December 4th. In fact, Cotto, last seen relieving a brave Yuri Foreman of his title belt, may not fight at all now until next year.
As fans know, the Puerto Rican was set to face the “Son of a legend” on Dec. 4th, but now it looks like the young Chavez will carry the card, with him facing one of two names – either original foe before the Cotto fight, Pawel Wolak, or former ‘Contender’ star Alfonso Gomez. This is what is being reported by Rafael via his Twitter page..
According to Boxrec.com, the bill (venue still to be confirmed) will also feature Nonito Donaire and Vanes Martirosyan in action in separate bouts.
Wolak, a 28-year-old from New Jersey by way of Poland, was all pumped up and ready to get it on with Chavez Jnr a while back, only to appear to lose out on the fight at the last minute. The 27-1(17) and never-stopped warrior may still lose out on the fight, if Chavez’ fellow Mexican Gomez, now aged 29 and with a 22-4-2(11) ledger, gets the fight.
In all honesty, I feel Wolak would give Chavez Jnr the tougher fight, possibly even beating him, but I think it will be the more colourful and well known Gomez who lands the big date. Gomez, too, will test Chavez in my opinion, but he may not have the firepower needed to upset the undefeated wannabe star.
Many fans did say all along how Chavez taking on Cotto so soon was not a good idea, that he needed more time and more experience before tackling as great and as well seasoned a fighter as the former welterweight king. It now looks as though Chavez Jnr will indeed wait for a chance at Cotto, whether he wants to or not.
Cotto and his team felt the shoulder surgery Miguel underwent a while back would be healed and that he would be able to make the Dec. 4th date. But this is not how things have transpired, and now “Junito” will not fight again until some time in 2011. Who he does fight then remains to be seen, but Chavez, needless to say, will be out if he loses to either Gomez or Wolak in December.
For the record, Wolak last fought in June, when he picked up a ten-round UD over James Moore, while Gomez last fought in March, stopping a faded Jose Luis Castillo via a 5th-round corner retirement.