Chavez Jr. to fight on Cotto-Malignaggi card

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is now slated to fight on the June 10 pay-per-view card featuring Miguel Cotto against Paul Malignaggi. Also scheduled to fill out the six-bout card are Kevin Kelley, Irish John Duddy, Notre Dame defensive back Tommy Zbikowski and featherweight prospect Juan Manuel Lopez.

R.I.P. Kevin Payne (1972 - 2006)

Evansville boxing favorite Kevin Payne passed away Sunday afternoon from injuries sustained in his fight Saturday against Ryan Maraldo. It was a tough eight-round battle in which Payne won a split decision, but he had to be taken to the hospital immediately after the fight. Although he underwent brain surgery in an attempt to save his life, it wasn't enough to keep him with us. Payne was looking forward to a promised match with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and it is a true tragedy that his life was ended so early. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Chavez Jr's Next Opponent: Rodrigo Juarez

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will be back in the ring again on April 8 when he faces Rodrigo Juarez (12-3, 9 KOs) of Tijuana. The eight-round bout will be televised as part of the HBO pay-per-view featuring Floyd Mayweather Jr vs. Zab Judah and Jorge "Travieso" Arce vs. Rosendo Alvarez.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Victorious!

In what could have been an easier win for Chavez by boxing more and using the jab, he instead opted for a head to head battle in his rematch against Carlos Molina. Chavez's action early on had Molina running a bit in the later rounds, but Molina still managed to land more punches in the fight. However, It was Julito landing the harder punches, which hurt Molina a number of times. Molina hung in there, though, and the six-round fight went to the scorecards again. One judge had it even and the other two scored it 58-56 for Chavez, upping his record to (24-0-1). Chavez did not state when his next fight would be, but it may be on the undercard of the Mayweather-Judah bout on April 8.

Fight Week: Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Carlos Molina

The perfect career record of young boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was blemished December 16th when Carlos Molina extended him the distance to a draw in their six-round fight, but now Chavez has another chance to prove he's better than Molina this Saturday at the Aladdin in Las Vegas. Headlining the card is a bout between Antonio Margarito and Manuel Gomez. Also featured are Brian Viloria and Ivan Calderon, on a pay-per-view (PPV) card priced at $40.

Fight week updates for Chavez-Molina can be found in the Chavez360 Forum--press conference quotes, weigh-in pics, etc.

Chavez360 is the new unofficial home for Chavez boxing.

Chavez Jr. fighting almost monthly

Sinaloan fighter Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, just 19 years old, has had 24 professional fights--10 in this past year and 11 in 2004.

Last Friday in Monterrey, the son of former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez failed to get the win for the first time since his debut as a pro boxer in September 2003.

Perhaps his constant good luck in the ring was responsible for this diminished performance against Carlos Molina, with whom he scored a draw after six rounds. The fighter stated that his force left him throughout the fight.

For Doctor Pedro Sanchez, who has been working with the World Boxing Council (WBC) for a some years, Julio Jr's intense activity doesn't directly affect him unless he's hit a lot or the fights are elongated, like what happened last Friday in the Monterrey Arena.

"Everything depends on his condition and the punches. If he (Julio) knocks them out in the first or second round, there's no problem. That Julio is 19 years old and has so many fights isn't a problem since he runs and trains daily.

"But the recommendation is that if an individual fights more than 50% of the scheduled distance of his fights and receives a lot of blows, even though he is well-trained, what he needs is to take a rest and not to fight as frequently," stated Sanchez Barajas.

Chavez Jr's last two fights were extended lengths. Against Molina it went to a decision, and in October he won in the fifth round against Jeremy Stiers in a bout scheduled for six rounds.

On the same course

Julio Jr. is following in his father's footsteps, who had 116 fights in the 25 years of his career.

When he started, in the early 80s, the "Caesar of Boxing" put on the gloves in any ring he happened to come across.

Julio Sr. in his second year as a pro fighter in 1981 fought up to three times in the span of one month.

The first time Chavez Sr. didn't win--a draw against Pernell Whitaker--was after 13 years as a pro fighter.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - "It's Win or Retire"

Used to challenges, Julio Cesar Chavez Carrasco told boxlatino.com that his desire now is to fight once more with Carlos Molina.

"What follows in my career depends on my rematch with Molina. If I can't beat him, I don't have any reason to keep boxing," he affirmed.

Last weekend in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Julito scored a draw that felt more like a loss against Molina, whose professional record is now 8-1-1.

"Honestly I don't know what happened to me. I feel I wasn't fighting well... I started pressuring him late and I wasn't able to win, but I don't have any excuses," stated the son of the legendary JC Chavez.

The Chavez-Molina rematch could take place February 11 in Culiacan or February 18th in Las Vegas, according to promoter Fernando Beltran.

"The rematch will be different. The only word in my mind is 'Win, win...'"

Julito will spend Christmas and the New Year at home with his family in Culiacan and on January 2nd will head to the Mexican capital to start his training in the Nuevo Jordan gym. Accompanying him on this trip will be his uncle Rodolfo Chavez and two sparring partners.

A Rematch in the Works - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Carlos Molina

A rematch between Julito Cesar Chavez and the man who almost ended his undefeated streak last Friday in Monterrey, Carlos Molina, could take place January 28 in the Plaza de Toros in Cancun, during the World Boxing Council's Night of Champions celebration.

Such was stated by Jose Sulaiman, noting that there was great enthusiasm among the Quintana Roo authorities for what would be one of the WBC's greatest events in 2006.

Also for this card, they're planning a second match between Jorge "Travieso" Arce, WBC interim flyweight champion, and the fighter who recently almost defeated him, Nicaraguan Adonis Rivas.

Sulaiman stated that there had been a strong protest on the part of Rosendo Alvarez, representing Rivas, and of the title contender himself that the fight was stopped over a cut which wasn't very dangerous but "because it ended up being too risky for the triumphant career of the Los Mochis fighter."

Sulaiman also confirmed that Jackie Nava would defend her superbantamweight title against American Kelsey Jeffries and that the Sonoran Lorenzo "Explosivo" Trejo would would meet Filipino Roderl Mayol.

The WBC head expressed optimism for the rebuilding of Cancun, stating that three weeks ago, he had come to this resort and found it in a bad state. "Now I see a lot of people working again, with many hotels back in business and the discos and other places typically open and receiving the public again. We want to participate in the goverment's plan to show the world that Cancun is back on its feet."