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Apart from everybody, nobody could’ve seen this coming.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (51-3-1-1 NC, 33 KOs) may be the son of one of the greatest boxers of all-time, but he has repeatedly shown that he’s nothing like Julio Sr on multiple fronts, not the least of which is professionalism. Shockingly, this issue reared its ugly head again.
Chavez Jr was supposed to fight Daniel Jacobs (35-3, 29 KOs) at super-middleweight, but at Thursday morning’s weigh-ins he was 172.7 lbs, which puts him closer to light heavyweight than the correct weight class. Jacobs had the option to face stand-by opponent Gabriel Rosado, but The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger reported that Jacobs has agreed to a 173 lbs catchweight and will get a good chunk of Julio’s purse. Other reports say the fine is in the neighborhood of $1 million.
There was already a concern that Chavez wouldn’t be able to fight after he skipped a random VADA drug test. At the time, the event was scheduled to happen in Nevada, so Chavez seemingly risked punishment from the commission. Not to worry, as he was granted a temporary restraining order earlier this week.
After the drug testing fiasco, Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn opted to move the show to Arizona. Earlier this week a Nevada judge ruled that the NAC lacked the jurisdiction to suspend him, because he wasn’t yet licensed there, and (per ESPN) “did not consent to be bound by Defendants mandatory drug testing policy that was published on its website and directed only to licensees of the agency. The court further finds that Chavez subsequently passed a drug test administered by the Arizona Boxing Commission for which he holds a license.”
Anyway, back to the weight miss. Chavez Jr has had a career marred by struggling to make weight or missing it outright. In his early days as a professional, he was suspended for banned diuretics he used when trying to make 160 lbs in 2008. He was heavy against Bryan Vera in 2013, Marcos Reyes in 2015, and has had at least two fights changed to catchweights before the weigh-ins because he knew he wouldn’t make the weight.
It’s actually bigger news when he does make weight or doesn’t pull out of a contest. His work ethic and discipline have long been called into question, and this is just the latest chapter in a very profitable yet disappointing career.
You can catch Jacobs vs. Chavez Jr live on DAZN on Friday night, starting at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix.