Ignorance is not bliss, and can get you killed, figuratively and literally…
Light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara (27-3, 16 KOs) humiliated former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-2-1, 32 KOs) on Saturday night en route to earning an impressive TKO stoppage.
Fonfara, well ahead in the bout, dropped Chavez in round nine and the latter didn?t come out for the tenth.
Is Julio Cesar Chavez Jr a washed up fighter or a victim of his own ignorance and poor matchmaking?
Credit to Chavez & Co. for taking on such a quality opponent tonight but they broke some old school principles of the Sweet Science in the process… and paid the price.
On the surface, it would seem Fonfara was the perfect opponent for Julio Jr because the former’s in-fighting skills are inferior to Chavez’s and he doesn’t possess crackling punching power or mind-numbing hand and foot speed.
…. But there were some very important intangibles an over-confident Chavez Jr and matchmakers undoubtedly overlooked, and FightSaga hinted earlier this week Fonfara may not have been a wise choice for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at this time.
Rule #1 After a lengthy layoff or inactivity, humble yourself or be humbled
Chavez Jr entered the ring for the first time in 13 months and only the third time since losing to then middleweight champion Sergio Martinez in September 2012. Fonfara, on the other hand, fought for the sixth time since September 2012 and third time in 11 months.
Fonfara’s timing and rhythm were on display while Julio Jr obviously had some ring rust.
Unless you’re a freak of nature like Sugar Ray Leonard or Floyd Mayweather, a fighter with bouts of inactivity will lack the the timing and coordination of a quality, top 10 opponent who has been very active and fighting top fighters.
Remember how bad Mike Tyson looked in his 1999 comeback bout against Francois Botha? But Mike, unlike Chavez Jr, had a strong pedigree and the power to end the fight on one punch – and he did.
Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson… Did Team Chavez really believe their man was on that level?
Rule #2 When a fighter moves up two weight divisions from one fight to the next, he should proceed cautiously…
Who cares about the catchweight in Chavez’s previous fights against Brian Vera; the latter was a middleweight pure and simple. And Fonfara is a light heavyweight, pure and simple.
Chavez Jr has spent most of his pro career fighting at welterweight, super welterweight and middleweight. Large for those weight classes, he typically had an advantage in overall size, strength and reach.
Last night, however, he faced a natural light heavyweight who boasted a three inch reach advantage. Not only could Chavez not bully Fonfara, the latter was able to land his shots at distances nearly all of Julio’s previous opponents couldn’t. Moreover, fatigue makes cowards of us all and it takes time for a fighter’s body to get acclimated when he’s moved up two divisions.
In the middle to late rounds, their arms and feet start feeling heavier than normal and they may no longer have the speed, fluidity or endurance they enjoyed at lower weight classes.
Does a fighter in that precarious position really want to test his mettle against a world class opponent like Fonfara? Perhaps he should humble himself first by facing lesser opposition, and then build his way back up?
Rule 3 A star who hasn’t looked good in a while needs a few tune-ups to raise his confidence and polish and hone his craft
Before his first one year absense from the sport, we saw Chavez get beaten up by Sergio Martinez in September 2012. And a year later, we saw Julio win a lackluster, very unpopular 10 round decision over the big underdog Brian Vera. Despite landing a few eye-catching zingers that night, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr simply appeared to get outworked as Vera pressed the action most of the time and threw and landed more punches overall. Fact: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr hasn’t looked since Summer 2012 and needs to polish his eroding skills (especially considering the added weight) via a series of bouts against less threatening opponents. He had no business in the ring tonight with a top 10 bruiser like Fonfara.
In sum Chavez Jr’s inactivity, jump of two weight classes and recent lackluster performances should have been clear indicators Fonfara was not the right opponent.
On the bright side, such match-ups are great for fans not expecting surprises.
