An offensive machine and durable as hell, Julio Cesar Chavez carried wicked power in both hands. He tossed and excellent hook to the liver and the jaw, a sharp uppercut on the inside, and a solid left jab (well educated to boot). He was arguably the most devastating body puncher in the history of the sport. His right hand was equally devastating. He threw overhands, uppercuts, and crosses, and developed a short right hook he used in close.
Chavez was nonstop and methodical. He just kept coming. It was nightmarish. Not defensively inept, he would take shots to give shots; but to the dismay of his opponents, he could really take a shot. In his first 91 fights, despite facing the toughest fighters of his day, Chavez was never stopped or knocked off his feet. He never lost in that frame, either, and drew only once, against Pernell Whitaker, another all-time great. How tough was his opposition? Rocky Lockridge, Juan LaPorte, Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez, Hector Camacho, Meldrick Taylor - the list goes on.
For those who appreciate junior titles, Chavez held the WBC junior lightweight (1984-1987) and twice held the WBC junior welterweight titles, and successfully defended them 9 and 16 times respectively! Many believe he was the best fighter ever at those weights. I won’t quarrel with those who believe that.
As for the major weight divisions, he won the WBA lightweight title from Edwin Rosario on a brutal eleventh-round stoppage in 1987, defended the title once, then lifted the WBC lightweight title from Jose Luis Ramirez in a technical decision in 1988, thus unifying the world title for the first time since Roberto Duran vacated the title a decade earlier. Chavez fought for the world welterweight championship twice, drawing with Whitaker over 12 rounds, and, then, retiring in his corner against Oscar de la Hoya in the eighth round. Chavez was past his prime for the de la Hoya fight.
His glory moments were his victory over Rosario and then unifying the title against Ramirez, his blowout of Greg Haugen in front of some 130,000 fans in Mexico City, his domination of Hector Camacho, and his war with Meldrick Taylor, in which he prevailed by a twelfth round stoppage in a thrilling come-from-behind contest.
Chavez for the first time in 1994, 14 years after he debuted, against Frankie Randall. That fight was also the first time Chavez had even been knocked off his feet. Chavez regained the title in the rematch.
Chavez is one of the best lightweights in history and, despite never winning the welterweight title, should rank among all-time best welterweights. I put him in the top three all-time lightweights.
Chavez was nonstop and methodical. He just kept coming. It was nightmarish. Not defensively inept, he would take shots to give shots; but to the dismay of his opponents, he could really take a shot. In his first 91 fights, despite facing the toughest fighters of his day, Chavez was never stopped or knocked off his feet. He never lost in that frame, either, and drew only once, against Pernell Whitaker, another all-time great. How tough was his opposition? Rocky Lockridge, Juan LaPorte, Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez, Hector Camacho, Meldrick Taylor - the list goes on.
For those who appreciate junior titles, Chavez held the WBC junior lightweight (1984-1987) and twice held the WBC junior welterweight titles, and successfully defended them 9 and 16 times respectively! Many believe he was the best fighter ever at those weights. I won’t quarrel with those who believe that.
As for the major weight divisions, he won the WBA lightweight title from Edwin Rosario on a brutal eleventh-round stoppage in 1987, defended the title once, then lifted the WBC lightweight title from Jose Luis Ramirez in a technical decision in 1988, thus unifying the world title for the first time since Roberto Duran vacated the title a decade earlier. Chavez fought for the world welterweight championship twice, drawing with Whitaker over 12 rounds, and, then, retiring in his corner against Oscar de la Hoya in the eighth round. Chavez was past his prime for the de la Hoya fight.
His glory moments were his victory over Rosario and then unifying the title against Ramirez, his blowout of Greg Haugen in front of some 130,000 fans in Mexico City, his domination of Hector Camacho, and his war with Meldrick Taylor, in which he prevailed by a twelfth round stoppage in a thrilling come-from-behind contest.
Chavez for the first time in 1994, 14 years after he debuted, against Frankie Randall. That fight was also the first time Chavez had even been knocked off his feet. Chavez regained the title in the rematch.
Chavez is one of the best lightweights in history and, despite never winning the welterweight title, should rank among all-time best welterweights. I put him in the top three all-time lightweights.
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