Введение
Мексиканский боксёр (род. 1962)
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Чавес владеет рекордом по количеству успешных защит мировых титулов (27, совместно с Омаром Нарваэсом), наибольшему числу побед в титульных боях и бойцов, побеждённых за титул (оба – по 31), а также наибольшему числу титульных боёв (37); он занимает второе место по количеству выигранных нокаутом защит титула (21, после Джо Луиса с 23). Его рекорд составлял 89 побед, 0 поражений и 1 ничью до первого профессионального поражения от Фрэнки Рэндалла в 1994 году, перед которым он одержал 87 побед подряд, прерванных ничьей с Пернеллом Уитакером в 1993 году. Победа Чавеса над Грегом Хаугеном на стадионе «Ацтека» в 1993 году установила рекорд посещаемости для боксёрского матча под открытым небом – 136 274 зрителя. BoxRec ранжирует его как 17-го лучшего боксёра всех времён, ESPN помещает на 24-е место в списке «50 величайших боксёров всех времён», а The Ring – на 18-е место в списке «80 лучших бойцов за последние 80 лет». В 2010 году он был принят в Международный зал славы бокса (класс 2011 года). Он отец нынешних боксёров Омара Чавеса и бывшего чемпиона WBC в среднем весе Хулио Сезара Чавеса-младшего.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Ранние годы
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Хулио Сезар Чавес родился 12 июля 1962 года в Сьюдад-Обрегоне, Сонора, Мексика. Его отец, Родольфо Чавес, работал на железной дороге, и Хулио вырос в заброшенном железнодорожном вагоне с пятью сёстрами и четырьмя братьями. Чавес происходил из бедной семьи и начал заниматься боксом ради денег, он говорил: «Я видел, как моя мама работала, гладила и стирала одежду людям, и я пообещал ей, что однажды дам ей дом, и она больше никогда не будет заниматься этой работой». Он начал заниматься боксом как любитель в возрасте 16 лет, а затем переехал в Тихуану, чтобы начать профессиональную карьеру.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Профессиональная карьера
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Чавес дебютировал в профессиональном боксе в возрасте 17 лет. В своём 12-м бою, 4 марта 1980 года, Чавес встретился с Мигелем Руисом в Кулиакане, Синалоа. В конце первого раунда Чавес нанёс удар, который отправил Руиса в нокаут. Удар был нанесён одновременно со звуком гонга, и был признан дисквалификацией, в результате чего Руис был объявлен победителем. Однако на следующий день его менеджер Рамон Феликс проконсультировался с мексиканской боксёрской комиссией, и после дальнейшего рассмотрения результат был отменён, а Чавес был объявлен победителем.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
13 сентября 1984 года Чавес выиграл свой первый чемпионат, вакантный титул WBC во втором полулёгком весе, нокаутировав соотечественника Марио «Азабаче» Мартинеса в Большом Олимпийском аудитории в Лос-Анджелесе. Мартинес был фаворитом в бою, отчасти благодаря своей предыдущей победе над бывшим чемпионом мира WBC Роландо Навареттом в нетитульном поединке. 19 апреля 1985 года Чавес защитил свой титул против первого претендента Рубена Кастильо (63–4–2), нокаутировав его в шестом раунде. 7 июля 1985 года Чавес победил бывшего и будущего чемпиона Роджера Мэйвезера нокаутом во втором раунде. 3 августа 1986 года Чавес одержал победу в Монте-Карло в двенадцати раундах раздельным решением судей над бывшим чемпионом WBA и будущим чемпионом IBF во втором полулёгком весе Рокки Локриджем. В следующем поединке он победил бывшего чемпиона Хуана Лапорте единогласным решением судей в двенадцати раундах. 18 марта 1987 года он победил первого претендента Франсиско Томаса Да Круза (27–1) нокаутом в третьем раунде. Он успешно защитил свой титул WBC во втором полулёгком весе в общей сложности девять раз.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Лёгкий вес
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
21 ноября 1987 года Чавес поднялся в лёгкий вес и встретился с чемпионом WBA Эдвином Росарио. Перед боем были опасения по поводу того, как Чавес справится с повышением веса. Чавес прокомментировал: «Всё, чего я достиг как чемпион, и девять защит титула, будут потеряны с поражением от Росарио». Два бойца чуть не подрались во время пресс-конференции после того, как Росарио пригрозил отправить Чавеса обратно в Мексику в гробу. Чавес продемонстрировал выдающееся выступление, победив Росарио техническим нокаутом в одиннадцатом раунде и завоевав титул. По данным HBO Punchstat, Росарио нанёс 263 из 731 удара (36%), а Чавес – 450 из 743 (61%). После боя Sports Illustrated опубликовал заголовок: «Время приветствовать Цезаря: чемпион WBA в лёгком весе Цезарь Чавес из Мексики, возможно, лучший боец в мире». 16 апреля 1988 года Чавес победил первого претендента Родольфо Агилара (20–0–1) техническим нокаутом в шестом раунде. 4 июня 1988 года он победил бывшего двукратного чемпиона Рафаэля Лимона техническим нокаутом в седьмом раунде. Позже в том же году он объединил пояса WBA и WBC, одержав техническое решение над чемпионом Хосе Луисом Рамиресом. Случайный удар головой открыл рассечение на лбу Рамиреса, и врач остановил бой, передав решение судейским записям на момент остановки. Чавес лидировал по всем карточкам и был объявлен победителем. Он также получил титул The Ring в лёгком весе после этой победы. Чавес отказался от титулов WBA и WBC в лёгком весе, чтобы подняться в полусредний вес.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
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Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
В следующем бою он завоевал титул WBC в полусреднем весе, победив Роджера Мэйвезера во второй раз. Мэйвезер не вышел из своего угла после десятого раунда, что принесло Чавесу победу техническим нокаутом. В 1989 году Чавес победил будущего чемпиона Сэмми Фуэнтеса техническим нокаутом в десятом раунде. В следующем бою он нанёс Альберто де лас Мерседес Кортесу (44–0) первое поражение в карьере, одержав победу нокаутом в третьем раунде.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Чавес против Тейлора
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
17 марта 1990 года он встретился с Мелдриком Тейлором, непобеждённым чемпионом IBF в полусреднем весе, в титульном объединительном бою. Хотя Тейлор доминировал в бою до восьмого раунда, Хулио собрался в последних четырёх раундах. Примерно за 30 секунд до конца 12-го раунда он нанёс сильный прямой правый удар по подбородку Тейлора, который серьёзно его потряс. Вскоре после этого он отправил бывшего олимпийского чемпиона в нокдаун. Хотя Тейлор поднялся на счёт рефери шесть, он не смог чётко ответить на вопросы рефери Ричарда Стила после обязательного счёта восемь и продолжал держаться за канаты в углу, что привело к остановке боя Стилом за две секунды до конца. Многие поклонники бокса и представители СМИ возмутились тем, что Стил остановил бой, который Тейлор выигрывал за две секунды до конца, в то время как другие считали, что Стил был оправдан в остановке боя, учитывая состояние Тейлора и тот факт, что он не смог ответить Стиву до окончания матча. Стил защитил своё решение, сказав, что его забота – защита бойца, независимо от того, сколько времени осталось до конца раунда или боя. Как сказал Стил: «Я остановил бой, потому что Мелдрик получил много хороших ударов, много сильных ударов, и пора было остановиться. Знаете, я не секундомер, и меня не волнует время. Когда я вижу человека, которому хватило, я останавливаю бой». The Ring назвал этот бой «Боем года» за 1990 год, а позже – «Боем десятилетия» за 1990-е годы. Хотя многие надеялись на немедленный реванш, Тейлор решил подняться в весе в своём следующем бою, и бойцы не встретились снова до 1994 года, когда Чавес доминировал и нокаутировал угасающего Тейлора в восьмом раунде. После объединения титулов Чавес провёл серию титульных и нетитульных боёв. 8 декабря 1990 года он победил обязательного претендента WBC Кён Дука Ана (29–1) нокаутом в третьем раунде. 18 марта 1991 года он победил четвёртого в рейтинге WBC Джона Дюплессиса (34–1) техническим нокаутом в четвёртом раунде. 14 сентября 1991 года Чавес одержал победу единогласным решением судей над бывшим чемпионом Лонни Смитом. 10 апреля 1992 года он одержал победу техническим нокаутом над первым претендентом Анхелем Эрнандесом (37–0–2, 22 КО) в пятом раунде. Позже в том же году он победил Фрэнки Митчелла (29–1) техническим нокаутом в четвёртом раунде.
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Чавес против Камачо
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
12 сентября 1992 года Чавес встретился с чемпионом WBO в полусреднем весе Эктором Камачо (41–1, 18 КО) в долгожданном бою. Чавес доминировал над Камачо, одержав победу единогласным решением судей. Итоговые оценки были 117–111, 119–110 и 120–107 в пользу Чавеса. После…
Mexican boxer (born 1962)
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Chávez holds records for the most total successful defenses of world titles (27, shared with Omar Narváez), most title fight victories and fighters beaten for the title (both at 31), and most title fights (37); he has the second most title defenses won by knockout (21, after Joe Louis with 23). His fight record was 89 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw before his first professional loss to Frankie Randall in 1994, before which he had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Chávez's 1993 win over Greg Haugen at the Estadio Azteca set the record for the largest attendance for an outdoor boxing match: 136,274. He is ranked as the 17th best boxer of all time, pound for pound, by BoxRec, #24 on ESPN's list of "50 Greatest Boxers of All Time", and 18th on The Ring'''s "80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years". In 2010 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for the Class of 2011. He is the father of current boxers Omar Chávez and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. Early life
Julio César Chávez was born on July 12, 1962, in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. His father, Rodolfo Chavez, worked for the railroad, and Julio grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers. Chávez came from a poor family and became a boxer for money, he stated: "I saw my mom working, ironing, and washing people's clothes, and I promised her I would give her a house someday, and she would never have that job again." He began boxing as an amateur at the age of 16 and he then moved to Tijuana to pursue a professional career. Professional career
Chávez made his professional debut at age 17. In his 12th fight, on March 4, 1980, Chávez faced Miguel Ruiz in Culiacán, Sinaloa. At the end of the first round, Chavez landed a blow that knocked Ruiz out. Delivered as the bell sounded, the blow was ruled a disqualification in the ring and Ruiz was declared the winner. The next day, however, his manager, Ramón Felix, consulted with the Mexican boxing commission, and after further review, the result was overturned and Chávez was declared the winner. Super featherweight
Chávez won his first championship, the vacant WBC Super Featherweight title, on September 13, 1984, by knocking out fellow Mexican Mario "Azabache" Martínez at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Martínez had been the betting favorite in the bout, due partly to his previous victory over former WBC world champion Rolando Navarette in a non title bout. On April 19, 1985, Chávez defended his title against number one ranked contender Ruben Castillo (63–4–2) by knocking him out in the sixth round. On July 7, 1985, Chavez defeated former and future champion Roger Mayweather via a second round knockout. On August 3, 1986, Chavez won a twelve round majority decision over former WBA and future IBF Super Featherweight champion Rocky Lockridge in Monte Carlo. In his next bout, he defeated former champion Juan Laporte by a twelve round unanimous decision. On March 18, 1987, he defeated number one ranked challenger Francisco Tomas Da Cruz (27–1) by third round knockout. He successfully defended his WBC Super Featherweight title a total of nine times. Lightweight
On November 21, 1987, Chávez moved up to the lightweight division and faced WBA Lightweight Champion Edwin Rosario. Prior to the bout, there were concerns about how Chávez would handle the move up in weight. Chávez commented, "Everything I've accomplished as champion, and the nine title defenses, would be thrown away with a loss to Rosario." The two fighters nearly exchanged blows during a press conference after Rosario threatened to send Chávez back to Mexico in a coffin. Chávez would ultimately give a career defining performance as he defeated Rosario by an eleventh round TKO to win the title. HBO Punchstat showed Rosario landing 263 of 731 punches thrown in the fight (36%) and Chavez 450 of 743 (61%). After the bout, Sports Illustrated ran the headline, "Time To Hail César: WBA Lightweight Champion César Chávez of Mexico may be the world's best fighter." On April 16, 1988, Chávez defeated number one ranked contender Rodolfo Aguilar (20–0–1) by sixth round technical knockout. On June 4, 1988, he won against former two time champion Rafael Limón by scoring a seventh round TKO. Later that year, he unified the WBA and WBC belts by a technical decision win over champion José Luis Ramírez. An accidental head butt opened a cut on Ramírez's forehead and the doctor halted the fight, sending the decision to the judges' scorecards at that point in the fight. Chávez, ahead on all scorecards, was declared the winner. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight title after the victory. Chavez vacated his WBA and WBC Lightweight titles in order to move up to the super lightweight division. Light welterweight
In his next bout, he won the WBC Light Welterweight title by defeating Roger Mayweather for a second time. Mayweather did not come out of his corner after the tenth round, giving Chavez the TKO win. In 1989, Chávez defeated future champion Sammy Fuentes by tenth round TKO. In his next bout, he handed Alberto de las Mercedes Cortes (44–0) his first career loss by scoring a third round knockout. Chávez vs. Taylor
On March 17, 1990, he faced Meldrick Taylor, the undefeated IBF Light Welterweight Champion, in a title unification fight. While Taylor carried the fight to Chavez through round 8, Julio rallied in the last four rounds. With about 30 seconds left in the 12th round, he landed a hard straight right hand on the chin of Taylor, which hurt him badly. Shortly thereafter, he knocked down the former Olympic gold medalist. Although Taylor rose at the referee's count of six, he failed to respond coherently to referee Richard Steele's questions after being issued a mandatory 8 count, and continued to hold onto the ropes in the corner, resulting in Steele stopping the fight with only two seconds remaining. Many boxing fans and members of the media were outraged that Steele would stop a match that Taylor was winning with only two seconds left, while others felt that Steele was justified in stopping the fight given Taylor's condition and the fact that he was unable to respond to Steele before the conclusion of the match. Steele defended his decision by saying that his concern is protecting a fighter, regardless of how much time is left in the round or the fight. As Steele put it, "I stopped it because Meldrick had took a lot of good shots, a lot of hard shots, and it was time for it to stop. You know, I'm not the timekeeper, and I don't care about the time. When I see a man that has had enough, I'm stopping the fight." The Ring named it the "Fight of the Year" for 1990 and later the "Fight of the Decade" for the 1990s. While many hoped for an immediate rematch, Taylor opted to move up in weight in his next bout and the fighters did not meet again until 1994, when Chávez dominated and knocked out a faded Taylor in eight rounds. After unifying the titles, Chávez engaged in a busy series of title defenses and non title fights. On December 8, 1990, he defeated the WBC mandatory challenger Kyung Duk Ahn (29–1) by third round knockout. On March 18, 1991, he defeated WBC number four ranked fighter John Duplessis (34–1) by fourth round TKO. On September 14, 1991, Chávez won a twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Lonnie Smith. On April 10, 1992, he scored a TKO victory over number one ranked contender Angel Hernandez (37–0–2, 22 KOs) in the fifth round. Later that year, he defeated Frankie Mitchell (29–1) by fourth round TKO. Chávez vs. Camacho
On September 12, 1992, Chávez faced WBO light welterweight champion Héctor Camacho (41–1, 18 KOs) in a highly anticipated bout. Chávez dominated Camacho en route to a unanimous decision win. The final scores were 117–111, 119–110 and 120–107 for Chávez. After the fight, on his arrival to Mexico, the President Carlos Salinas de Gortari sent the special car reserved for the Pope to take him from the airport to the President's house. Chávez vs. Haugen
His 1993 fight with Greg Haugen featured trash talk from Haugen, who derided Chavez's 82 fight unbeaten streak as consisting mostly of "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mother could have knocked out" and insisting that "There aren't 130,000 Mexicans who can afford tickets" to see the fight in Estadio Azteca. Chávez responded by saying, "I really hate him bad. When he looks at me, I want to vomit. I am going to give him the worst beating of his life; I am going to make him swallow the words that came out of his dirty mouth." Ultimately, 136,274 showed up to set a world record for outdoor fight attendance Later that year, Chávez scored a sixth round TKO victory over number one ranked contender Terrence Alli. Draw with Whitaker and first career loss
After a division record 18 consecutive defenses of his light welterweight title, Chávez (87–0) moved up one more weight division to challenge Pernell Whitaker (32–1) for his WBC Welterweight title in September 1993. Since the late 1980s, Chávez stated several times that he wanted a fight against Whitaker. The Whitaker team, among them Lou Duva, told The Ring that they did not want a fight against Chavez in those days. The result of the fight was a controversial majority draw, allowing Chávez to remain undefeated with Whitaker retaining his title. Various members of the American media, including The Ring and Sports Illustrated, were critical of the decision. Sports Illustrated put Pernell Whitaker on the cover of its next magazine with a one word title, "Robbed!" Chávez stated after the fight: "I felt I was forcing the fight he just kept holding me too much, he was throwing too many low blows too." There was no rematch. Chavez continued defending his Light Welterweight title and on December 18, 1993, he defeated British Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion Andy Holligan (21–0) by fifth round TKO. Chávez faced Frankie Randall on January 29, 1994, in a fight that most expected him to win easily. Instead, Randall knocked him down for the first time in his career and went on to win a split decision and Chávez lost the title to Randall. Chávez blamed his loss on referee Richard Steele, who deducted two points from Chávez for low blows, which affected the difference on the scorecards. The WBC ordered an immediate rematch and Chávez regained the title on a split technical decision in May 1994. The fight was fiercely contested when they collided heads, opening a large cut over Chávez's eyebrow in the seventh round. After the head cut, during round eight, the referee called for the doctor, who then stopped the fight. Under WBC rules, Randall lost one point, giving Chávez the technical victory. The two faced one another in a rubber match 10 years later, which Chávez won. Chavez then faced Meldrick Taylor in a rematch, four years after their historic first fight. Chavez defeated him in the eighth round by a knockout that sent Taylor from one side of the ring to the other. In his next bout, Chavez defeated three time champion Tony Lopez. In 1995, he defeated former and future Light Welterweight Champion Giovanni Parisi. Later that year, he defended his title against number one ranked challenger David Kamau, despite suffering a cut in the opening round. Prior to the bout, Chavez indicated that he was considering retirement: "I've had a lot of problems with my arms, with my knees. I really don't want to extend myself much longer", Chávez said. "After so many years of working out, it all builds up. I am not giving what I used to be able to give. I will fight De La Hoya for a lot of money, and then retire." Chávez vs. De La Hoya
On June 7, 1996, Chávez faced Oscar De La Hoya. A large gash appeared over the left eye of Chávez within the first minute of the first round, leading many to assume what Chávez later confirmed—that the cut occurred earlier in training and was re opened in the bout. Heavy blood flow prompted the doctor to stop the fight in the fourth round. Until their eventual rematch in 1998, Chávez would always state that De La Hoya had not defeated him, but that a gash that he had suffered in training was the real cause of the stoppage of the fight. In his next bout, Chávez defeated former champion Joey Gamache in his 100th career bout. Chávez vs. González
An elbow injury to Chávez has forced postponement of his fight with González. The fight was scheduled for Oct 25th 1997. A year after De La Hoya moved up to welterweight in 1997, Chávez fought Miguel Ángel González for the vacant WBC Light Welterweight title. That fight ended in a draw. In a rematch with De La Hoya for the WBC Welterweight belt in September 1998, De La Hoya won by 8th round TKO. About De La Hoya, Chávez stated years after, "I have nothing against him, even though he beat me twice. I have no resentment towards him De La Hoya was younger than me during our fight, and I was on my way out of boxing. If Oscar didn't fight me, he would not have been anything in boxing." Chavez spoke about his sparring session with De La Hoya six years before their first fight and stated: "I sparred with him and dropped him in the second round with a right hand. De la Hoya was a kid that day after training he stayed and we went out to dinner, I gave him some $300 $400 from my pocket to help him out." After the bout, Chávez told his promoter, Bob Arum, that this time he was definitely retiring from boxing. His defeat was avenged two years later by his son, Julio César Chávez, Jr., who knocked Wiley out in the third round of their fight. Exhibition bouts
Chávez has fought multiple exhibition bouts for charitable causes. On January 1, 1985, Chavez scored a third round technical knockout over Manny Hernandez in an exhibition bout staged in Mexico City, Mexico to garner money for the victims of a 1984 gas explosion in Mexico. Late in 2014, Julio César Chávez returned to the ring for an exhibition with Vicente Sagrestano in a bout aimed at collecting toys for poor children. He and former rival Mario Martinez, against whom he earned his first world championship in 1984, faced each other again on July 3, 2015, in an event to benefit Chavez's two drug rehabilitation clinics. Personal life
During the late part of his career, Chávez struggled with drug addiction and alcohol abuse. He stated that he started drinking the night after his fight against Edwin Rosario. He later developed a cocaine habit. Chávez got into rehab several times until he recovered. Chávez is the father of Omar Chávez and former WBC Middleweight Champion Julio César Chávez, Jr. He works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca, and spends his time between Mexico and the United States, where he owns businesses and properties. He also has a daughter, Nicole Chavez, who is a participant on the Telemundo television reality show, La Casa de los Famosos. Chávez's brother, Rafael Chávez González, was murdered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, during a robbery at one of Rafael's businesses. Career in review
Chávez won six world titles in three weight divisions: WBC Super Featherweight (1984), WBA Lightweight (1987), WBC Lightweight (1988), WBC Light Welterweight (1989), IBF Light Welterweight (1990) and WBC Light Welterweight (1994) for the second time. He was also awarded The Ring Lightweight Championship in 1988. World champions whom Chávez defeated include Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache and Frankie Randall, who had taken the WBC Light Welterweight belt from Chávez just four months earlier. He also lost to three champions: Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya and Kostya Tszyu. He was held to a draw by two others: Pernell Whitaker and Miguel Ángel González. Chávez retired in his 25th year as a professional boxer with a record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws, with 86 knockouts and is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time. He holds records for most successful consecutive defenses of world titles (27), most title fights (37), most title fight victories (31) and he is after Joe Louis (with 23) for most title defenses won by knockout (21). His record was 89 0 1 going into his first loss to Frankie Randall and had an 87 fight win streak until his draw with Whitaker. He was ranked No. 50 on Ring Magazine's list of "100 greatest punchers of all time". As an in fighter or "swarmer," Julio César Chávez was renowned specially for his devastating left hook and his extremely strong chin. Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, stated that Chávez was one of the greatest fighters of his generation and top five of all time from his point of view. Trainer Angelo Dundee said that Chávez had one of the strongest chins in boxing history. In 2002, The Ring'' ranked Chávez as the 18th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. On December 7, 2010, his induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was announced.
Профессиональный боксерский рекорд
№РезультатРекордСоперникТипРаунд, времяДатаМесто проведенияПримечания115Поражение107–6–2 Гровер УайлиRTD4 (10), 17 сентября 2005114Победа107–5–2 Иван РобинсонUD1028 мая 2005113Победа106–5–2 Фрэнки РэндаллUD1022 мая 2004112Победа105–5–2 Уилли УайзTKO2 (10)22 ноября 2003111Победа104–5–2 Терри ТомасTKO2 (10), 24 ноября 2001110Поражение103–5–2 Костя ЦзюTKO6 (12), 29 июля 2000109Победа103–4–2 Бак СмитTKO3 (10)18 декабря 1999108Поражение102–4–2 Уилли УайзUD102 октября 1999107Победа102–3–2 Марти ЯкубовскиTKO4 (10)10 июля 1999106Победа101–3–2 Верделл СмитTKO4 (10), 1 апреля 1999105Поражение100–3–2 Оскар Де Ла ХойяRTD8 (12), 18 сентября 1998104Победа100–2–2 Кен СигураниTKO3 (10), 25 июня 1998103Ничья99–2–2 Мигель Анхель ГонсалесSD (Раздельное решение судей)127 марта 1998102Победа99–2–1 Ларри ЛакурсьерUD1028 июня 1997101Победа98–2–1 Тони МартинUD1029 марта 1997100Победа97–2–1 Джои ГамашеTKO8 (10), 12 октября 199699Поражение96–2–1 Оскар Де Ла ХойяTKO4 (12), 7 июня 199698Победа96–1–1 Скотт УолкерTKO2 (10), 9 февраля 199697Победа95–1–1 Дэвид КамауUD1216 сентября 199596Победа94–1–1 Крейг ХоукKO1 (10), 29 июля 199595Победа93–1–1 Джованни ПаризиUD128 апреля 199594Победа92–1–1 Тони ЛопесTKO10 (12), 10 декабря 199493Победа91–1–1 Мелдрик ТейлорTKO8 (12), 17 сентября 199492Победа90–1–1 Фрэнки РэндаллTD8 (12), 7 мая 199491Поражение89–1–1 Фрэнки РэндаллSD (Раздельное решение судей)1229 января 199490Победа89–0–1 Энди ХоллиганTKO5 (12)18 декабря 199389Победа88–0–1 Майк ПауэллTKO4 (10)30 октября 199388Ничья87–0–1 Пернелл УитакерMD (Большинство решений судей)1210 сентября 199387Победа87–0 Терренс АллиTKO6 (12), 8 мая 199386Победа86–0 Сильвио Вальтер РохасKO3 (10), 10 апреля 199385Победа85–0 Грег ХаугенTKO5 (12), 20 февраля 199384Победа84–0 Марти ЯкубовскиTKO6 (10), 13 декабря 199283Победа83–0 Брюс ПирсонKO3 (10), 31 октября 199282Победа82–0 Эктор КамачоUD1212 сентября 199281Победа81–0 Фрэнки МитчеллTKO4 (12), 1 августа 199280Победа80–0 Анхель ЭрнандесTKO5 (12), 10 апреля 199279Победа79–0 Хуан Соберес РамосKO4 (10)13 марта 199278Победа78–0 Игнасио ПердомоRTD7 (10), 13 декабря 199177Победа77–0 Хорхе Альберто МелианKO4 (10), 12 ноября 199176Победа76–0 Лонни СмитUD1214 сентября 199175Победа75–0 Томми СмоллKO4 (10), 26 апреля 199174Победа74–0 Джон ДюплессиTKO4 (12), 18 марта 199173Победа73–0 Кюнг Дюк АнTKO3 (12), 8 декабря 199072Победа72–0 Хайме БальбоаTKO4 (10), 8 ноября 199071Победа71–0 Рассел МослиKO3 (10)18 августа 199070Победа70–0 Аквей АддоKO2 (10)5 июля 199069Победа69–0 Мелдрик ТейлорTKO12 (12), 17 марта 199068Победа68–0 Альберто де лас Мерседес КортесTKO3 (12), 16 декабря 198967Победа67–0 Сэмми ФуэнтесRTD10 (12), 18 ноября 198966Победа66–0 Рамон АрамбуруKO3 (10)27 октября 198965Победа65–0 Родольфо БаттаKO1 (10), 9 октября 198964Победа64–0 Кенни ВайсTKO3 (10), 30 июля 198963Победа63–0 Роджер МэйвезерRTD (Прекращение боя в углу)10 (12), 13 мая 198962Победа62–0 Хосе Луис РамиресTD11 (12), 29 октября 198861Победа61–0 Вернон БукананTKO3 (10), 1 августа 198860Победа60–0 Рафаэль ЛимонTKO7 (10)4 июня 198859Победа59–0 Родольфо АгиларTKO6 (12), 16 апреля 198858Победа58–0 Никки ПересTKO3 (10)5 марта 198857Победа57–0 Эдвин РосариоTKO11 (12), 21 ноября 198756Победа56–0 Данило КабрераUD1221 августа 198755Победа55–0 Франсиско Томас Да КрузTKO3 (12), 18 апреля 198754Победа54–0 Хуан ЛапортUD1212 декабря 198653Победа53–0 Рокки ЛокриджMD (Решение большинства судей)123 августа 198652Победа52–0 Рефухио РохасTKO7 (12), 13 июня 198651Победа51–0 Фаустино Мартирес БарриосTKO5 (12), 15 мая 198650Победа50–0 Роберто Коллинс ЛиндоKO2 (10), 22 марта 198649Победа49–0 Джефф БампусTD (Техническое решение)5 (10), 19 декабря 198548Победа48–0 Дуайт ПратчеттUD (Единогласное решение)1221 сентября 198547Победа47–0 Роджер МэйвезерTKO2 (12), 7 июля 198546Победа46–0 Рубен КастильоTKO6 (12), 19 апреля 198545Победа45–0 Мануэль ЭрнандесTKO3 (10)1 января 198544Победа44–0 Марио МартинесTKO8 (12), 13 сентября 198443Победа43–0 Делфино МендосаKO313 июня 198442Победа42–0 Рамон АвитияKO64 мая 198441Победа41–0 Армандо ФлоресKO330 декабря 198340Победа40–0 Адриано АрреолаPTS101 сентября 198339Победа39–0 Бенджамин АбаркаKO516 июля 198338Победа38–0 Ромеро СандовалKO2 (10), 15 июня 198337Победа37–0 Хавьер ФрагосоKO41 мая 198336Победа36–0 Эрнесто ЭррераKO24 апреля 198335Победа35–0 Отониэль ЛопесKO425 февраля 198334Победа34–0 Джерри ЛьюисKO6 (10)11 декабря 198233Победа33–0 Джерри ЛьюисKO523 октября 198232Победа32–0 Хосе РесендесKO6 (10)28 сентября 198231Победа31–0 Сантос РодригесKO820 августа 198230Победа30–0 Густаво СальгадоKO2 (10)19 июля 198229Победа29–0 Хуан Карлос АльварадоKO38 мая 198228Победа28–0 Бенни АбаркаPTS1026 апреля 198227Победа27–0 Джонни ДженсенKO311 марта 198226Победа26–0 Карлос БрайантKO219 февраля 198225Победа25–0 Рамон ПересаKO14 февраля 198224Победа24–0 Хесус ГарсиаKO229 января 198223Победа23–0 Рамон ЛукеKO112 января 198222Победа22–0 Мануэль ВаскесKO717 декабря 198121Победа21–0 Хосе Анхель МединаKO619 октября 198120Победа20–0 Хорхе РамиресKO225 сентября 198119Победа19–0 Даниэль ФелизардоKO3 (10)31 августа 198118Победа18–0 Хесус Куате ЛараKO2 (10)7 августа 198117Победа17–0 Даниэль МартинесKO127 июля 198116Победа16–0 Бобби ФернандесKO310 июля 198115Победа15–0 Фидель НаварроKO126 июня 198114Победа14–0 Виктор ГамесKO15 июня 198113Победа13–0 Эдуардо Лало АкостаKO28 мая 198112Победа12–0 Мигель РуисKO14 марта 198111Победа11–0 Хулио ГашиолаKO42 февраля 198110Победа10–0 Роберто ФлоресKO315 декабря 19809Победа9–0 Андрес ФеликсKO226 ноября 19808Победа8–0 Хесус МартинесKO113 октября 19807Победа7–0 Хесус Куате ЛараPTS1022 сентября 19806Победа6–0 Мигель СебрероPTS105 сентября 19805Победа5–0 Тито ЖералдоPTS618 июля 19804Победа4–0 Роберто ГарсиаTKO (Технический нокаут)6 (6)20 мая 19803Победа3–0 Рамон ФлоресKO3 (6)8 апреля 19802Победа2–0 Фиденсио СебреросPTS (Решение по очкам)63 марта 19801Победа1–0 Андрес ФеликсKO6 (6)5 февраля 1980
No. (Number)ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes115Loss107–6–2 Grover WileyRTD4 (10), Sep 17, 2005 114Win107–5–2 Ivan RobinsonUD10May 28, 2005 113Win106–5–2 Frankie RandallUD10May 22, 2004 112Win105–5–2 Willy WiseTKO2 (10)Nov 22, 2003 111Win104–5–2 Terry ThomasTKO2 (10), Nov 24, 2001 110Loss103–5–2 Kostya TszyuTKO6 (12), Jul 29, 2000 109Win103–4–2 Buck SmithTKO3 (10)Dec 18, 1999 108Loss102–4–2 Willy WiseUD10Oct 2, 1999 107Win102–3–2 Marty JakubowskiTKO4 (10)Jul 10, 1999 106Win101–3–2 Verdell SmithTKO4 (10), Apr 1, 1999 105Loss100–3–2 Oscar De La HoyaRTD8 (12), Sep 18, 1998 104Win100–2–2 Ken SiguraniTKO3 (10), Jun 25, 1998 103Draw99–2–2 Miguel Ángel GonzálezSD (Split draw)12Mar 7, 1998 102Win99–2–1 Larry LaCoursiereUD10Jun 28, 1997 101Win98–2–1 Tony MartinUD10Mar 29, 1997 100Win97–2–1 Joey GamacheTKO8 (10), Oct 12, 1996 99Loss96–2–1 Oscar De La HoyaTKO4 (12), Jun 7, 1996 98Win96–1–1 Scott WalkerTKO2 (10), Feb 9, 1996 97Win95–1–1 David KamauUD12Sep 16, 1995 96Win94–1–1 Craig HoukKO1 (10), Jul 29, 1995 95Win93–1–1 Giovanni ParisiUD12Apr 8, 1995 94Win92–1–1 Tony LopezTKO10 (12), Dec 10, 1994 93Win91–1–1 Meldrick TaylorTKO8 (12), Sep 17, 1994 92Win90–1–1 Frankie RandallTD8 (12), May 7, 1994 91Loss89–1–1 Frankie RandallSD (Split decision)12Jan 29, 1994 90Win89–0–1 Andy HolliganTKO5 (12)Dec 18, 1993 89Win88–0–1 Mike PowellTKO4 (10)Oct 30, 1993 88Draw87–0–1 Pernell WhitakerMD (Majority draw)12Sep 10, 1993 87Win87–0 Terrence AlliTKO6 (12), May 8, 1993 86Win86–0 Silvio Walter RojasKO3 (10), Apr 10, 1993 85Win85–0 Greg HaugenTKO5 (12), Feb 20, 1993 84Win84–0 Marty JakubowskiTKO6 (10), Dec 13, 1992 83Win83–0 Bruce PearsonKO3 (10), Oct 31, 1992 82Win82–0 Héctor CamachoUD12Sep 12, 1992 81Win81–0 Frankie MitchellTKO4 (12), Aug 1, 1992 80Win80–0 Angel HernandezTKO5 (12), Apr 10, 1992 79Win79–0 Juan Soberanes RamosKO4 (10)Mar 13, 1992 78Win78–0 Ignacio PerdomoRTD7 (10), Dec 13, 1991 77Win77–0 Jorge Alberto MelianKO4 (10), Nov 12, 1991 76Win76–0 Lonnie SmithUD12Sep 14, 1991 75Win75–0 Tommy SmallKO4 (10), Apr 26, 1991 74Win74–0 John DuplessisTKO4 (12), Mar 18, 1991 73Win73–0 Kyung Duk AhnTKO3 (12), Dec 8, 1990 72Win72–0 Jaime BalboaTKO4 (10), Nov 8, 1990 71Win71–0 Russell MosleyKO3 (10)Aug 18, 1990 70Win70–0 Akwei AddoKO2 (10)Jul 5, 1990 69Win69–0 Meldrick TaylorTKO12 (12), Mar 17, 1990 68Win68–0 Alberto de las Mercedes CortesTKO3 (12), Dec 16, 1989 67Win67–0 Sammy FuentesRTD10 (12), Nov 18, 1989 66Win66–0 Ramon AramburuKO3 (10)Oct 27, 1989 65Win65–0 Rodolfo BattaKO1 (10), Oct 9, 1989 64Win64–0 Kenny ViceTKO3 (10), Jul 30, 1989 63Win63–0 Roger MayweatherRTD (Corner retirement)10 (12), May 13, 1989 62Win62–0 José Luis RamírezTD11 (12), Oct 29, 1988 61Win61–0 Vernon BuchananTKO3 (10), Aug 1, 1988 60Win60–0 Rafael LimónTKO7 (10)Jun 4, 1988 59Win59–0 Rodolfo AguilarTKO6 (12), Apr 16, 1988 58Win58–0 Nicky PerezTKO3 (10)Mar 5, 1988 57Win57–0 Edwin RosarioTKO11 (12), Nov 21, 1987 56Win56–0 Danilo CabreraUD12Aug 21, 1987 55Win55–0 Francisco Tomas Da CruzTKO3 (12), Apr 18, 1987 54Win54–0 Juan LaporteUD12Dec 12, 1986 53Win53–0 Rocky LockridgeMD (Majority decision)12Aug 3, 1986 52Win52–0 Refugio RojasTKO7 (12), Jun 13, 1986 51Win51–0 Faustino Martires BarriosTKO5 (12), May 15, 1986 50Win50–0 Roberto Collins LindoKO2 (10), Mar 22, 1986 49Win49–0 Jeff BumpusTD (Technical decision)5 (10), Dec 19, 1985 48Win48–0 Dwight PratchettUD (Unanimous decision)12Sep 21, 1985 47Win47–0 Roger MayweatherTKO2 (12), Jul 7, 1985 46Win46–0 Ruben CastilloTKO6 (12), Apr 19, 1985 45Win45–0 Manuel HernandezTKO3 (10)Jan 1, 1985 44Win44–0 Mario MartínezTKO8 (12), Sep 13, 1984 43Win43–0 Delfino MendozaKO3Jun 13, 1984 42Win42–0 Ramon AvitiaKO6May 4, 1984 41Win41–0 Armando FloresKO3Dec 30, 1983 40Win40–0 Adriano ArreolaPTS10Sep 1, 1983 39Win39–0 Benjamin AbarcaKO5Jul 16, 1983 38Win38–0 Romero SandovalKO2 (10), Jun 15, 1983 37Win37–0 Javier FragosoKO4May 1, 1983 36Win36–0 Ernesto HerreraKO2Apr 4, 1983 35Win35–0 Othoniel LopezKO4Feb 25, 1983 34Win34–0 Jerry LewisKO6 (10)Dec 11, 1982 33Win33–0 Jerry LewisKO5Oct 23, 1982 32Win32–0 Jose ResendezKO6 (10)Sep 28, 1982 31Win31–0 Santos RodriguezKO8Aug 20, 1982 30Win30–0 Gustavo SalgadoKO2 (10)Jul 19, 1982 29Win29–0 Juan Carlos AlvaradoKO3May 8, 1982 28Win28–0 Benny AbarcaPTS10Apr 26, 1982 27Win27–0 Johnny JensenKO3Mar 11, 1982 26Win26–0 Carlos BryantKO2Feb 19, 1982 25Win25–0 Ramon PerazaKO1Feb 4, 1982 24Win24–0 Jesús GarcíaKO2Jan 29, 1982 23Win23–0 Ramon LuqueKO1Jan 12, 1982 22Win22–0 Manuel VasquezKO7Dec 17, 1981 21Win21–0 Jose Angel MedinaKO6Oct 19, 1981 20Win20–0 Jorge RamirezKO2Sep 25, 1981 19Win19–0 Daniel FelizardoKO3 (10)Aug 31, 1981 18Win18–0 Jesus Cuate LaraKO2 (10)Aug 7, 1981 17Win17–0 Daniel MartinezKO1Jul 27, 1981 16Win16–0 Bobby FernandezKO3Jul 10, 1981 15Win15–0 Fidel NavarroKO1Jun 26, 1981 14Win14–0 Victor GamezKO1Jun 5, 1981 13Win13–0 Eduardo Lalo AcostaKO2May 8, 1981 12Win12–0 Miguel RuizKO1Mar 4, 1981 11Win11–0 Julio GaxiolaKO4Feb 2, 1981 10Win10–0 Roberto FloresKO3Dec 15, 1980 9Win9–0 Andres FelixKO2Nov 26, 1980 8Win8–0 Jesus MartinezKO1Oct 13, 1980 7Win7–0 Jesus Cuate LaraPTS10Sep 22, 1980 6Win6–0 Miguel CebreroPTS10Sep 5, 1980 5Win5–0 Tito GeraldoPTS6Jul 18, 1980 4Win4–0 Roberto GarciaTKO (Technical knockout)6 (6)May 20, 1980 3Win3–0 Ramon FloresKO3 (6)Apr 8, 1980 2Win2–0 Fidencio CebrerosPTS (Points decision)6Mar 3, 1980 1Win1–0 Andres FelixKO6 (6)Feb 5, 1980
Рекорд бокса на выставке
№ (Номер)РезультатРекордСоперникТипРаунда, времяДатаМестоположениеЗаметки60–0 Эктор Камачо-младший419 июня 202150–0 Хорхе Арсе425 сентября 202040–0 Хорхе Арсе328 февраля 202030–0 Хорхе Арсе322 ноября 201920–0 Марио Мартинес33 июля 201510–0 Висенте Сагрестано418 декабря 2014
No. (Number)ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes60–0 Héctor Camacho Jr.4Jun 19, 2021 50–0 Jorge Arce4Sep 25, 2020 40–0 Jorge Arce3Feb 28, 2020 30–0 Jorge Arce3Nov 22, 2019 20–0 Mario Martínez3Jul 3, 2015 10–0 Vicente Sagrestano4Dec 18, 2014
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