T IS almost axiomatic in the ?sweet science? that sooner or later a budding star is matched against an opponent who will either make or unmake him.
An opponent so tough he will have to call upon every ounce of strength, every modicum of courage and invoke every trick he has ever learned in order to defeat him; but then again, even that may not be enough.
A dollop of luck would probably be helpful too. For when he beats that opponent, he will gain that quiet but certain measure of confidence, knowing he has what it takes to transcend to the next level of his career.
GOLDEN BOY. For Oscar de la Hoya, that monster of an opponent was Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez. At that time, Oscar was a budding star, having beaten top-tier guys like Rafael Ruelas and Jesse James Leija.
But to find out how good he really was, he had to seek confirmation by defeating a Mexican god with a fearsome record of 96-1. And no, that?s not a typo.
Oscar did well, blasting Chavez with straights and hooks. He turned Chavez?s face into a crimson mess, necessitating a halt in the fourth round.
PACMAN It?s different for everybody and for Manny Pacquiao that opponent was Erik Morales. Sure, he had beaten Marco Antonio Barrera and was robbed in a dubious draw with Juan Manuel Marquez, but Erik Morales was a different matter entirely.
After all, the fiery Mexican had beaten Pacquiao in their first fight.
But the Pacman knew just what he had to do in that defining moment in his career. He won the rematch, stopping Morales for the first time in his career and bludgeoning him into submission in the tie-breaker a few months after. Those wins turned Pacquiao into boxing?s next superstar and the world took notice.
Sure, there were bigger opponents for Pacquiao and de la Hoya after, but those opponents were special. It was not necessarily the name recall they provided, but the difficulty they posed, skills-wise.
And by overcoming that difficulty, they discovered deliverance.
DUDDY. Today, deliverance for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. comes in the form of a John Duddy. The latter may not be a household name to the casual boxing fan, but he is undoubtedly the best opponent Chavez Jr. has ever faced.
Tall and long-limbed like him, he is just as handsome too. But like Chavez, he also can be a devil inside the ring, and likes to pound his opponents into submission.
This tough Irish kid has a record of 29-1 (by split decision) and 18 kayoes. He has defeated veterans Anthony Bonsante, Howard Eastman and Yory Boy Campas which he did early in his career.
Ironically, this fight could equally prove to be a coming-out party for Duddy as well, which adds a compelling angle to this battle.
ROACH. Like his father, Chavez Jr. likes to grind it out with his opponents. I?ve never been a fan of his style, although it provides a lot of slam-bang action for paying customers.
Chavez Jr. likes to fight like his dad, although he isn?t built like him. He is tall and fast, but because he brawls face-first, he takes away his inherent height and reach advantage.
That will be ill-advised against Duddy. The guy is what is termed in the fight game as a ?waiter?. He likes to wait for you to come to him. When you do, he will take you out.
But give him some angles and make him come to you and he will look like he has two left feet.
For Chavez Jr., Freddie Roach couldn?t have come at a better time in his career. I?m hoping Freddie is able to temper Jr?s brawling ways. If he succeeds, Chavez will win easily. But if at some point in the fight Chavez reverts to his brawling ways, the waiter will only be too glad to hand him the bill.
IBP HOOPS. Congratulations to the Super Idols team, who capped a dominant run in the eliminations by defeating perennial rival powerhouse team Pecandela 66-59 in the 3rd game of their best of three series to repeat as champions. Let?s go for the three-peat guys. Cheers!
LAST ROUNDS. Are on Atty. Melanie Marie Zosa-Tan and John Unchuan who recently celebrated their birthdays. Cheers!
