It’s been dubbed “the Battle of Mexico” and boxing fans around the world will be tuning in.
Pride, rather than a world title is on the line when Tapatio Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (48-1-1) squares off with Julio Cesar Chaves Jr. (50-2-1) in Las Vegas Saturday, May 6.
The all-Mexican match-up has all the hallmarks of a classic.
Born in humble circumstances outside Guadalajara, the red-haired, 25-year-old Alvarez has become one of boxing’s hottest properties, losing only to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a meteoric rise to the top. His fights usually end before the final bell and – aside from Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan – he is generally regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
The son of Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., Chavez Jr. hails from a completely different economic background than his opponent. Nonetheless, his fight history is impressive and he once held the WBC middleweight belt. What has often been called into question is his attitude and commitment, and he has never commanded the fan base and adulation in Mexico and the United States that Alvarez enjoys.
Alvarez is clearly the classier boxer, but there’s a catch. The fight is being held at a catchweight of 164.5 kilos – a level that is new to the Tapatio, who normally fights at light-middleweight. Chavez Jr. will go into the ring with a four-inch height and three-inch reach advantage.
If Chavez Jr. comes to the fight in prime condition and highly motivated, the outcome could be closer than many experts seem to think. An upset would also be a big setback for Alvarez’s mentor and manager Oscar de la Hoya, who fought two memorable battles with Chavez Sr. during his stellar career.
There is added spice to this fight as Alvarez and Chavez Jr. clearly do not like each other – the kid who made it from the wrong side of the tracks against the boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The war of words racked up as the fight drew closer, with Alvarez claiming this week that “no one can represent Mexico better than me.” Both men have also bet their respective purses that they will win the fight, so pride is clearly a bigger factor here than money.
Alvarez is rumored to be making around $US25 million from the fight, while Chavez will receive four times less.
Although not a world title bout, a special belt with Huichol Indian chaquira designs has been created and will be awarded to the winner. The idea is that this belt will be awarded to winners of fights held on or around Cinco de Mayo and Independence Day. Defiantly, Alvarez has said the belt does not interest him and will not wear it when he wins the fight.
Expect patrons of bars in Guadalajara and other parts of Jalisco to be rooting for “Canelo” in this must-see match-up on Saturday night. The fight is scheduled to start around 10 p.m. at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It is available on HBO Pay-Per-View.