SAN DIEGO – September 14, 2012 – Boxing fans are ready and now all the fighters are ready, making weight for the biggest fight weekend of the 2012 at dueling venues just a mile apart in Las Vegas, and airing live on television at the same time.
In the marquee fight of the night, the HBO pay-per-view main event contest and middleweight between Julio Caesar Chavez Junior , (46-0-1, 32 KOs) and Argentinean Sergio Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KOs), both fighters made weight easily. Martinez hit the scale at 159 pounds; this is no surprise as Martinez is a natural 154-pound fighter. The surprise is that Chavez, who has struggled in the past to make the 160 pound weight limit, hit the scale at 158 pounds. He looked leaner than the natural cruiserweight fighter has in years.
Julio Caesar Chavez Junior made the weight limit with ease at 158 pounds, after a history of struggling to make the limit. Photo: Chris Farina/Top Rank
After the weigh-in, Martinez and Chavez Jr. engaged in the traditional staredown, but more talking was going on than staring. Martinez leaned in, arms raised over his head. He said later he told Chavez, “Tomorrow’s going to be a war because I want a war.” The surprising number of Argentine fans in the packed Wynn Encore Theater in Las Vegas ate it up.
Chavez later added, “He said he was going to rip my head off.” Chavez said “We worked hard, worked hard on our diet, we’re better than ever.” There is no doubt he looks in excellent condition, considering his reputation for a less than exemplary work ethic. The question is just how much Chavez will rehydrate. He’s added as much as 20 pounds between the weigh-in and the fight. Martinez rarely rehydrates up more than a few pounds into the mid-160s. Martinez and his camp say they are fine with this, and will put his superior speed to work against the heavier, slower Chavez.
Sergio Martinez fights at a lean 159 pounds. Photo: Chris Farina/Top Rank.
This fight is the main event of an HBO pay-per-view package ($49.95 price tag), starting at 9 p.m. Eastern Time/6 p.m. Pacific Time. The event can also be ordered and viewed for the same price online at www.toprank.tv
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Read also: Weigh-in update, Showtime boxing schedule: Canelo, Lopez make weight for Saturday
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In the undercard fights, the super bantamweight fighters Guillermo Rigondeuax of Cuba and challenger Roberto Marroquin both weighed in at 122 pounds. Despite a little pre-fight drama over whether the Cuban would get clearance to make it to Las Vegas, the fight will go on as scheduled.
Roman “Rocky” Martinez of Puerto Rico and Miguel Beltran Jr. of Puerto Rico fight at lightweight. Beltran was a pound over the 130 limit but he made weight within the time limit and the fight will take place; Martinez hit 129 pounds. Matthew Macklin, who lost to Martinez in 2010, weighed in for his middleweight fight with Canadian Joachim Alcine at 160.5 pounds, Alcine weighed 158 pounds. Light heavyweights Mike Lee and Paul Harnes fight six rounds with Lee at 174 pounds and Harnes at 173 and a quarter pounds.
We will follow all the action here on Communities with a live chat covering this program and the Alvarez/Lopez card, starting at 9 p.m. Eastern Time/6 p.m. Pacific. Watching or not, boxing head or newcomer, all are welcome to join us ringside and enjoy the evening with Communities. We’ll give you the inside information and post photos as they are available for those not able to watch. Add your commentary to the mix.
Gayle Lynn Falkenthal, APR, is President/Owner of the Falcon Valley Group in San Diego, California. She is also a serious boxing fan covering the Sweet Science for Communities. Read more Ringside Seat in the Communities at The Washington Times. Follow Gayle on Facebook and on Twitter @PRProSanDiego.
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