By James Slater – Nicaraguan wild man Ricardo Mayorga announced his retirement from the ring moments after he was TKO’d in the 12th-round of his challenge of Miguel Cotto. Claiming it was “time to find a job,” the 37-year-old gave a seemingly sincere announcement. However, just a day or two after suffering the eighth loss of his colourful pro career, “El Matador” had a change of heart..
The former welterweight and light-middleweight champ told media in Nicaragua that he wanted to resume fighting, and that he envisaged a further three fights. And now, as has been reported on Ringtv.com, Mayorga is targeting a fight with unbeaten Mexican star Julio Cesar Chavez Junior.
Reportedly, Mayorga is planning coming back as a middleweight, and he is hoping Chavez Junior will defeat Sebastian Zbik in June, so that he in turn can fight for the WBC 160-pound belt. Chavez Junior challenges Zbik in Los Angeles in just over two months time, and assuming he does win, the son of a legend already has an option on who he could make his first title defence again.
It’s not clear how much Mayorga, who has been all over the scale during his career, has left to offer, but he managed to give Cotto a decent argument for at least a few of the 11-and-a-bit rounds the March 12th fight went. Over the years, Mayorga sure has taken some beatings, and it’s doubtful he will ever reign again. But, Chavez Junior is no Miguel Cotto, and maybe fans would be willing to give Mayorga a shot at beating the 25-year-old.
It’s easy to imagine the hype for a Chavez-Mayorga fight being fun. Okay, some people have had their fill of Mayorga’s act, feeling his trash-talking and his promising to KO opponents is old hat now. And despite his pre-fight boasting, Mayorga almost always loses the big fight anyway.
Having boxed as a middleweight before – against Felix “Tito” Trinidad in 2004, losing via 8th-round stoppage – Mayorga will feel he is more than capable of handing Chavez Junior his first loss. And the styles of the two men would likely mean a good action fight – is Mayorga ever in a dull fight?
Will the fans buy a Chavez-Mayorga fight if it happens? Providing he can take the “regular” WBC middleweight title from Zbik (Sergio Martinez is the REAL middleweight king and everybody knows it), Chavez could well find out.