LAS VEGAS – Walang Manny Pacquiao o Floyd Mayweather, Jr., ngunit inaasahang patok sa tradisyunal na Cinco de Mayo ang duwelo sa pagitan nina dating WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
Nagkaroon ng katuparan ang nilulutong duwelo nang dalawang pinakasikat na fighter maliban kina Pacman at Mayweather, nang kapwa pumayag na magtuoos sa catch-weight 164.5 lbs.
Nakatakda ang laban sa Mayo 5 at pinagpipilian ang T-Mobile Arena sa Las Vegas at AT&T Stadium sa Texas.
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Super fighter si Alvarez (48-1-1, tampok ang 34 knokcout) sa 154 lbs. kung saan tangan niya ang WBO junior middleeight title, habang si Chavez, Jr. (49-2-1, kabilang ang 32 knockout) ay bumaba mula sa limitado niyang 168 lbs.
Kahit isang middleweight world champion, ito ang unang pagkakataon na sasabak si Alvarez ng lagpas sa catch-weight na 155 lbs, habang lumalaban si Chavez, Jr. sa mas mataas na division na 172 lbs.
Impresibo sa kanyang huling laban si Chavez Jr. via unanimous decision kay Dominik Britsch ng Germany (32-3-1, 11KOs) nitong Disyembre sa Monterrey, Mexico. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na lalaban siya sa catch-weight ng super middleweight mula noong 2014.
Iginiit ni Chavez, Jr. na sasailalim siya sa paghahanda ni strength and conditioning coach Angel 'Memo' Meredia, habang magsasanay sa kanyang old coach na si Freddie Roach o Robert Garcia.
"I can confirm that I'm going to train in Otomi, and I will be with Angel Meredia. We will talk to Freddie Roach, Roberto Garcia, they many want to help me. We will see who is more available. I'm going to Otomi for three months and I will be one hundred percent to win the fight," pahayag ni Chavez Jr.sa panayam ng ESPN Deportes.
"I need to arrive in good shape to the weigh-in ceremony, I need to be well prepared. I think I'm a stronger fighter than him. I've had to take punches and I've had harder fights, and all of that will benefit me. I've had the experience of going through wars throughout my career - ever since I started as a professional - because I did not have any amateur fights, so all of my fights have been wars... and for him... it might be the first war that he's has had in several years." "I think this will be a fight that ends in a knockout. It will be an exciting fight due to the styles, [and the fans are] going to like it a lot,” aniya.
