Undefeated middleweight (160 pounds) prospect Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mex., will take on Ireland-native, John Duddy (pictured above, left, against Michael Medina), of New York, in the main event, and former WBA flyweight (112 pounds) king Eric Morel, of Madison, Wis., will meet former WBC light flyweight (108 pounds) champion, Jorge Arce, of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mex. on June 26 at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Tex..
The fights will be part of Top Rank Promotion’s Latin Fury, said matchmaker, Carl Moretti.
The 24-year-old Chavez (40-1-1, 30 knockouts) is coming off of November’s 10-round, unanimous decision victory over Michigan’s 34-year-old Troy Rowlands (25-3, seven KOs), a verdict that was turned into a no-contest after Chavez was determined to have tested positive for a banned substance by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Chavez tested positive for Furosemide, a diuretic, and was suspended by the commission for seven months — a term which ends in mid-June, and which allows him to face the 30-year-old Duddy (29-1, 18 KOs).
Duddy is coming off of a March 13, split-decision victory over 23-year-old Michael Medina (28-2-2, 18 KOs), of Monterrey, Nuevo Le?n, Mex., that was contested at The Dallas Cowboys’ Stadium.
Chavez-Rowland took place on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s 12th-round knockout victory over Miguel Cotto, which earned Pacquiao the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title — his record seventh world title in as many weight classes.
Duddy-Medina took place on the undercard of Pacquiao’s 12-round, unanimous decision over Joshua Clottey in the first defense of his WBO title.
The 34-year-old Morel (42-2, 21 KOs) earned a disputed, split-decision over 37-year-old, former two-time world champion Gerry Penalosa (54-8-2, 36 KOs), of Cebu, Philippines, in their WBO 118-pound title eliminator.
The 30-year-old Arce improved to 53-6-1, with 40 knockouts, after a seventh-round technical decision over 28-year-old, Angky Angkota, of Indonesia to win their WBO super flyweight (115 pounds) title eliminator.
Angkota was cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt, and, as a result, the verdict went to the scorecards, where Arce led, 60-54, according to two judges, and, 58-56, according to the third.
