In a telecast that is sure to draw massive ratings, largely in part to the replay of many Pacquiao?s controversial win over Juan Manuel Marquez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. takes on a ?contender? in Peter Manfredo, Jr. While Julio has a title for the sole reason that Jose Sulaiman and HBO appear to want him to have it, if I laid awake at night thinking of all the scenarios bungled by the alphabet organizations I would never get a wink of sleep. After you sift through the aggravating details of why it?s a title fight and what brought it to HBO?s allegedly big time Boxing schedule. It is an entertaining looking fight on paper.
Chavez lives in his father?s gigantic shadow, so much so that many people fail to realize that his Dad took a similar career path to ring immortality. While I understand the angst at the Boxing politics at work in his career, I have enjoyed many of his fights aesthetically as Junior has an underrated offense based on thudding hooks downstairs and a wide variety of uppercuts to the head. His defensive liabilities are easily observed and he has shown stamina problems at times, but overall he is probably a better fighter than the diehard Boxing community or media gives him credit for.
In a somewhat similar scenario, Manfredo garnered fame participating in a reality show as opposed to earning it with his exploits in the ring. While The Contender helped him earn substantial money and fame as he was exposed to far more viewers than even high level title fights, it also has left a tag on its participants as actors more than fighters and, other than monetarily, I don?t think that show helped achieve credibility in the boxing world for any of its participants. Peter is a workmanlike performer who doesn?t excel in any one area, but he too is probably a better fighter than he is credited with being.
As for the fight, I feel like it?s impossible to even offer a prediction without looking at the business side of sport. Sad as that is, not a week goes by without a referee playing far too major a role or incompetent judging wiping out a stellar performance. In this instance, Chavez is the money guy so it?s very difficult to fathom Manfredo getting an honest decision in a close fight. He is technically better than Julio and his underrated jab should work well for him while Chavez presses inside to get to the body.
I expect a very entertaining style match up as Julio, for all of his flaws, does cut off the ring well and his shoddy defense offers an inviting target that I?m sure Peter will try to exploit with combinations. Youth could play a big role if Julio is in peak condition and I think he will slow down Manfredo with body work and be scoring well down the stretch of a tight fight. I actually lean to Chavez earning a very tight decision and I imagine the judges will score it closer to a shutout. So if you look past the obvious questions about what is at stake and where the fight is being televised, you should settle in for a nice distance fight between two fringe contenders after watching Juan Manuel marquez give a master class in Boxing. Let?s just hope that the right man gets his hands raised and the officials stay where they belong- in the background.
