Video: Crowd riots after Julio Cesar Chavez Jr quits

It was an ugly, chaotic scene in Phoenix, all thanks to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr’s latest disaster.

What else did you expect?

A very boisterous crowd at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona cheered on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in his DAZN main event vs. Daniel Jacobs. Chavez Jr nearly jeopardized the entire card when he skipped out on a drug test (which got this whole card moved from Vegas to Phoenix in the first place), badly missed weight on Thursday, and then actually put in a pretty entertaining five rounds against Jacobs.

Then it got weird. Chavez-ian, if you will.

Chavez Jr retired in his corner before the start of round six, citing an injured hand. After the contest, trainer Freddie Roach said that Chavez Jr “couldn’t breathe” because of a busted nose, which might be plausible although all signs pointed to Julio not continuing because of his hand.

The pro-Chavez crowd lost its collective mind and started throwing food and drinks and other debris into the ring, hitting DAZN’s commentators in the process. Michael Buffer quickly read the official announcement and then hauled ass out of the ring, as the fury was noticeable and you could see drinks flying through the air. Fights reportedly happened in the stands, and Julio Sr, an actual warrior who was in attendance on Friday night, could only offer up this reaction to his son’s stoppage.

Footage has since surfaced of some of the chaos inside the arena. You can also watch the DAZN broadcast at the top of the page.

Fans did throw things at Julio Jr, but not to fear, for Mickey Rourke is here!

DAZN analyst Sergio Mora ripped into Chavez Jr for not continuing, and it’s not like questions about his heart and willingness to battle through adversity are new. Against Andrzej Fonfara, he quit on his stool after getting knocked down in a lopsided contest. You guessed it, fans at the arena hurled objects towards the ring when that happened.

The last time I wrote about a Chavez Jr fight was his dismal, garbage “effort” against Canelo Alvarez, and at the time I said the following:

“Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is not 1/10th the fighter his father was, and may this be the last time he ever be within spitting distance of the relevant boxing scene.”

Well he got another shot because of his name and ability to draw a crowd. Maybe this will be the last time for real, or at least the last time any promoter seriously gives him a seven-figure purse like Eddie Hearn did for this card. If there’s anyone who has not earned the benefit of the doubt, it’s Chavez Jr.

Update: Chavez Jr has rolled out his excuse.