"Latin Kings": Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Sergio Martinez

Stats
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Age: 26
Hometown: Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico
Nickname: "Le Leyenda Continua" (The Legend Continues) , "El Hijo De La Leyenda" (The Son of the Legend)
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 73"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 46-0-1 (32 knockouts)
Ranking: Number 3 ranked middleweight
Major Titles Held: WBC Middleweight (2012-Present)

Sergio Martinez
Age: 37
Hometown: Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nickname: "Maravilla" (Miracle)
Height: 5'10"
Reach: 75"
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 49-2-2 (28 knockouts)
Ranking: Number 4 pound-for-pound, and number 1 ranked middleweight
Major Titles Held: WBC Middleweight Title (2010); WBO Middleweight Title (2010); The Ring Middleweight Title (2010-Present)
*Stats and rankings provided by BoxRec and The Ring

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (left) and Sergio Martinez (right)
before their Saturday night title fight.

  Depending on who you ask, this weekend holds a special place in many peoples hearts. To the Mexican community, this Sunday (September 16) marks their 201 year independence from Spanish rule, but to the boxing community at large, this weekend is about much more than independence. This Saturday, two of the middleweight divisions most talented champions are finally crossing paths, as Ring champion, Sergio Martinez, takes on the often criticized but talented, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. This match-up has been talked about ever since Martinez' two-round decimation of former champion, Paul Williams (39-1-0). For two years, Martinez has tried to lure the young champion into the ring, but the most recent instigations by Martinez came after the WBC stripped him of his title and instead awarded it to Chavez Jr. Luckily, the talk and hype is finally over as both are set to face off in a fight that many feel has potential to be a "Fight of the year" candidate. The question still remains however, will the young lion over power the older fighter and dominate the middleweight division? Or will the more experienced fighter overwhelm his young challenger, further solidifying his already Hall of Fame worthy career?

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. celebrate his KO victory over
then undefeated Andy Lee.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has been called many things throughout his career. Undisciplined, spoiled, and coddled are just a few that come to mind. There is one thing that Chavez Jr. does have going for him, and that is his determination to silence all of his detractors. Ever since he came into the sport, many professionals have questioned Chavez' bringing up in the sport. With zero amateur experience, many feel he was protected while coming up the ranks when he was often matched with fighters who offered little to no in-ring resistance. After years of criticism, Chavez has finally stepped up to the plate as he took on fights that, at least on paper, seemed like a real challenge. Chavez showed just how meaningless that "paper" really is, as he dismantled veteran, Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1) , and the always tough Andy Lee (28-1) in his last two outings. Chavez was finally able to do what he hadn't been able to earlier in his career, and that was finally silencing his critics. Chavez most surprising performance came against the aforementioned Andy Lee. In the early rounds of their 12-round fight, many saw Lee slowly building a points lead against the always confident Mexican. Things quickly changed towards the middle rounds however, as Chavez surged back and overwhelmed the previously undefeated Lee en-route to a knockout victory in the 7th round. This has been Chavez' most thrilling and telling performance to date, as many now feel he has matured into a fighter who is ready to take over the middleweight division. Going into Saturday's match against Martinez, the most notable advantage for Chavez is his size. Although he weighs in as a middleweight, he shows up about twenty to thirty pounds heavier by fight night. It's his size advantage that will be pivotal in his attempt to defeat the seemingly unstoppable Martinez. As the bigger man, Chavez will be able to bully the smaller man around the ring, while keeping him at bay with power shots and effective movement. Although Chavez seems to lack the one-punch knockouts power many desire, he makes up for it with his seemingly unending flurries of crippling body shots that were made famous by his legendary father. This fight will be no different from the others as far as his expected game plan. Only exception is that Chavez will have to be much more wary of keeping his chin out in the air, as Martinez has proved that all he needs is one punch to put his opponent down for the count. If Chavez is able to effectively work angles while intelligently defending and battering the body of an oncoming Martinez, expect Chavez Jr. to earn both a unanimous decision victory, as well as the respect he has longed for throughout his career.

Sergio Martinez (left) takes two rounds before landing the
finishing blow against the massive Paul Williams (right)

Sergio Martinez is one of the most unique cases in boxing today. As many know, Martinez is known as a "late-bloomer" to the sport due to the fact that he didn't begin boxing until he was 20. One would have never guessed based on his most recent string of dominant performances including names like Kelly Pavlik (36-1), Paul Williams, and Serhiy Dzinziruk (37-1-1). Martinez has quickly become the elite fighter of the middleweight division which seems to have acted as a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, many legitimately view Sergio Martinez as the number one fighter in his division, but because of that title, everyone seems to want to avoid him. This has forced Martinez and his camp to actively call out other fighters, most not even in the same weight class. Luckily, Chavez Jr. finally answered the call as audiences will finally learn who is the best middleweight in the world. Going into this fight with Chavez, Martinez will have to rely on his superior speed and power to take down the imposing Mexican. Although Martinez is the smaller man, he has the reach of a much larger one. This blend of attributes gives him the potential to be a massive problem for Chavez, as Chavez hasn't faced a fighter quite at the Martinez level. To win this fight Martinez just has to do what he does best which is mixing power shots, while still moving in and out of the pocket. If he does this while listening to his corners advice, expect Martinez to run away with a unanimous decision win.

Prediction

As both fighters answer the first bell, Martinez will come out the aggressor against the slow-starting Chavez Jr. Martinez main attack with be shots to the body, while winging the occasional power punch. Chavez will defend most of the shots as he then tries to answer with his own. Martinez will take the first round due to his aggression and general output, while Chavez is seemingly playing catch-up. This same routine will continue in the early rounds as Martinez continues to increase the power an overall out-put. As the middle rounds approach, Martinez has built a healthy lead but is beginning to breath heavily. Chavez now begins to get in the fight, as he now tries to push Martinez towards the ropes. As he backs Martinez up, he will continue throwing shots to the body while mixing in an uppercut. For every Chavez flurry however, Martinez answers with his own power shot as he closes the round with a flush power hook that will rattle the young champion. Chavez wins the round, but Martinez and his corner are encouraged by that final shot. As the 7th round opens, Chavez comes out a bit more tentative, but still trying to remain busy. Once again, Martinez catches Chavez Jr., forcing the champion to take a knee. As the ref gives Chavez an eight-count, he  rises and continues on with the fight. By this point, Martinez smells blood and he once against charges the weakened champion. Martinez will begin pounding away at the body and head of Chavez Jr. to the point at which the ref will have no choice but to stop the abuse.

This fight can play out in many different ways, but it's looking like the idea of Martinez as the victor is showing the most consistency.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (left) faces off with Sergio Martinez (right)
in their weigh-in before Saturday's fight.

Pick: Sergio Martinez def. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via knockout (KO)

"Made in America" : Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson

Stats
Andre Ward
Age: 28
Hometown: Oakland, California
Nickname: "S.O.G." (Son of God)
Height: 6'0"
Reach: 71"
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 25-0 (13 knockouts)
Ranking: Number 5 pound-for-pound, and number 1 ranked super middleweight
Titles Held: WBA Super World Super Middleweight (2009-Present); WBC Super Middleweight (2011-Present); The Ring Super Middleweight (2011-Present)

Chad Dawson
Age: 30
Hometown: New Haven, Connecticut
Nickname: "Bad"
Height: 6'1"
Reach: 76 1/2"
Stance: Southpaw
Record: 31-1 (17 knockouts)
Ranking: Number 10 pound-for-pound, and number 1 ranked light heavyweight
Titles Held: WBC Light Heavyweight (2007-2010); IBF Light Heavyweight (2009-Current); IBO Light Heavyweight (2008-2010); WBC Light Heavyweight (2012-Present)
*Stats and rankings provided by BoxRec and The Ring

Molina (far left), Ward (center left), Dawson (center right),
and Demarco (far right) pose before their Sep. 8th fights

As hard as it is to believe, there was a point in history in which boxing rivaled baseball as America's most popular sport. Whether it was played on television or over the radio, there was a certain atmosphere that made every fight seem like a real event. These of course were the days where boxers were more concerned about their legacy instead of their purse. One has to look no further than the records of boxers such as "Sugar" Ray Robinson (173-19-6) and Rocky Marciano (49-0) to highlight this point. Unfortunately, boxing today is more of a business than a sport. With promoters running virtually every aspect of the fight game, the fights people want to see are rarely put together as fighters are "protected" and discouraged from facing stiff competition. It is this trend which has virtually killed the sport of boxing in many peoples eyes. Luckily, September 8th will stand as a date of nostalgia to many boxing fans as it reminds one of the days when champions were constantly willing to test their skills against the best. Super Middleweight champion (168 lbs) Andre Ward and Light Heavyweight champion (175 lbs) Chad Dawson are willing to do just that in what many consider one of the most evenly matched and intriguing match-ups in recent memory. With the fight taking place at the Super Middleweight division only Ward's titles are at risk, but the winner of Saturday's match is poised to gain so much more than that. As great as the match-up may be, there are still some concerns going into Saturday's match. Will this be the "Fight of the Year" candidate that both fighters promised at the pre-fight press conference, or will this play out in a manner similar to the over-hyped "snooze fest" that was Bradley vs. Alexander? One would be right to have their reservations going into this fight, but by the end of this preview the answer should be clear.

Ward after winning the "Super Six World
Boxing Classic" against Carl Froch.

It's amazing just how much can change in three years. Pre-2009, one would be hard-pressed to find someone, professional or casual, who would recognize the name Andre Ward. A few knew him as the last American to win a gold medal in the Olympic games (2004), but others viewed him as a young fighter who was good, but still untested in the sport. This quickly changed after his decision to take part in Showtime's: "Super Six World Boxing Classic". After entering the tournament as a massive betting underdog, Ward would go on to win the tournament against a murderers row of boxers such as Mikkel Kessler (42-1), Sakio Bika (28-4-2), and Arthur Abraham (32-2). Ward's most recent fight was the tournament final against England's Carl Froch (28-1). His fight with Froch did more than just boost his marketability as a(n) dominant champion, but showed American fans just what kind of fighter Ward is. On top of being an incredibly technical boxer, Ward has shown to be one of the most intelligent and old school fighters inside the ring. By describing him as old school, one suggests that he tends to mix illegal shots with clean ones. Regardless of his tendency to foul opponents (headbutts, elbows, etc.) , Ward has yet to take part in a fight that he hasn't won both thoroughly and handily. Going into this fight with Chad Dawson however, Ward will have to showcase all the skills that got him to this point and then some. Against Dawson, Ward is not only facing a taller opponent, but one with a five and a half inch reach advantage. Ward will have to neutralize that reach by applying constant pressure against the bigger man, and fighting on the inside. By effectively mixing shots up between the head and the body, Ward will be able to slowly break down Dawson. He won't be stopping him, but with a smart game plan Ward can take a lopsided decision win.

Chad Dawson (right) batters Antonio Tarver (left) en-route
to a Unanimous Decision win.

Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson is one of those boxers who is an interesting a case as he he polarizing. At times in his career he seems like a future great, while other times he has seemed completely uninterested regardless of the fact that he's involved in a twelve round fight. One such instance of this occurring came in his technical decision loss to Jean Pascal (25-1). Many viewed him as the favorite going into that fight, but one would have never thought it after seeing his rather uninspired performance. Since that loss Dawson has tried to rediscover his style through different trainers, and has finally settled on John Scully. Through Scully, Dawson appears to have not only gone back to his roots as a "boxer-puncher" , but has effectively stoked the fire that made him a champion in the first place. Dawson's most recent performances further prove his new found dedication to the sport after earning a unanimous decision victory over Adrian Diaconu (27-2), and a majority decision over future hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2) last April. Against Ward, Dawson will have to dig deep into his bag of tricks as he faces what could be the stiffest challenge of his already fairly decorated career. As was mentioned earlier, Dawson seems to have all the physical advantages on paper. Add in the fact that Dawson has great ring smarts, an effective jab, and solid foot work, one wouldn't be wrong to think that he has a chance of upsetting Ward. Dawson's main tools going into Saturday's match should be his jab and uppercut. With his telephone pole jab, Dawson could not only set Ward up for a power shot, but he can also keep the pressure fighter at bay. Dawson must also take a page out of Sakio Bika's book and try to land the uppercut both early and often. The Bika/Ward fight showed that with Ward's style of defense, he is very susceptible to an uppercut as he was hit with it throughout the grueling 12-round fight. If Dawson keeps Ward at range while throwing the uppercut, Dawson can run away with the decision, maybe even stopping the undefeated fighter in his hometown.

Prediction

As the first bell rings, both fighters will answer both tentatively as they try to get a sense of the others' style. It will be a slow round, with not much in the way of meaningful exchanges. Both will land some solid yet fairly ineffective shots, but Ward will be the busier of the two. With a close first round going to Ward, the second and third will begin to liven up slowly but surely. Dawson will being trying to set the range in an attempt to stop the pressuring Ward. Dawson will have his moments as he continues to land a crisp jab against the Oakland native, but Ward will continue coming forward as he attempts to counter the bigger man. As the fight approaches the middle rounds, Ward will look to overwhelm Dawson with body work and the occasional "accidental" head-butt while coming in. Dawson will remain relatively unfazed as he listens to his corner and continues mixing in jabs with power punches. As the fight continues, the scorecards just seem to get closer. Eventually, Dawson will catch Ward with a brutal uppercut late in the seventh, causing the super middleweight champion to cover up and move. Ward will make it to the next round after the close call, and will begin fighting much more careful in order to avoid getting caught with another bomb. Ward will continue attacking the body while covering up. As Ward comes in, Dawson will be seeing red and continue trying to land that uppercut after seeing how effective it seemed. Unfortunately, Ward will continue to stay busy as Dawson becomes too enamored with the idea of landing that one punch. Ward will continue earning rounds, while Dawson soon begins to realize that one punch just isn't gonna do it. As the championship rounds approach, the fight will look much more like the early to middle rounds. Both will come out boxing smart while trying to avoid the others strengths. The crowd will begin getting restless as the two approach the final round without much in the way of action. Unfortunately, the twelfth round will be nothing spectacular as Ward and Dawson continue in their attempts to neutralize the other in methods that are more tactical than brutish. The final bell will sound signaling the end of the fight. It won't be the most exciting, but it won't be due to lack of action. With both matching up so well on paper, expect a beautiful display of technical boxing, as both try to out-do the other in a human game of chess.

This is another one of those rare fights where one would be hard pressed to pick a decisive winner due to the different ways in which this fight can play out. The scores will reflect just how close this fight truly was, but expect the hometown hero to pull off a close and fairly controversial decision win.

Andre Ward (left) and Chad Dawson (right) after weighing
in for their September 8th title clash.

Pick: Andre Ward def. Chad Dawson by Majority Decision (MD)

Quick Picks
Antonio Demarco vs. John Molina Jr.

Look for Demarco to remain champion after September 8

In the co-main event of the night, newly crowned WBC Lightweight champion, Antonio Demarco, takes on challenger John Molina Jr. This is a solid fight between two young fighters and is a great way to precede Ward/Dawson match. Expect Molina to look good early as he lands solid shots on the very "hittable" Demarco, but as the fight wears on expect Demarco to turn this into the gritty brawl he thrives in. This fight isn't going past six as Demarco just has too much in the tank for the challenger, as he goes on to retain his title and continue climbing the lightweight ranks.

Pick: Antonio Demarco def. John Molina Jr. by knockout (KO)

Vitali Klitschko vs. Manuel Charr

Expect Klitschko to stay smiling all the way to
the bank with this one.

The broadcast will open with a tape-delay bout between one-half of the heavyweight kings, Vitali Klitschko, versus an absolute chump of a "contender" by the name of Manuel Charr. This fight won't be competitive, so this will be the most obvious and quickest of the picks. Klitschko by knockout.

Pick: Vitali Klitschko def. Manuel Charr by knockout (KO)