Preview: Chavez Jr-Andy Lee, Eddie Chambers-Adamek
by Gautham Nagesh
If last week was a disaster for most sensible boxing fans, tonight offers some respite. Two different networks have quality shows, which means everyone with cable can catch a decent fight tonight. HBO will air the replay of Manny Pacquiao vs Tim Bradley from last weekend for subscribers, followed by Andy Lee vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a middleweight title bout from El Paso, Texas. If you didn’t pay for the Pay Per View, you can finally figure out what everyone has been going on about all week.
NBC Sports continues its better-than-expected Fight Night series with another quality card from Newark, headlined by heavyweights Tomasz Adamek and Fast Eddie Chambers. Also fighting on that card will be promising Philly heavyweight Bryant Jennings, a loyal reader unafraid to let us know when he disagrees with our take. Full previews after the jump:[[MORE]]
Andy Lee vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr: This has all the makings of a classic at middleweight, featuring two of the most exciting contenders ranked in the division. Regardless of JCC Jr’s WBC bauble, everyone knows Sergio Martinez is the middleweight champion. Winning this fight would put either man in line for a shot at Maravilla and ultimate glory at 160 lbs. Neither would be favored to upset Martinez, but that’s why they play the game.
I stopped by Kronk Gym in Detroit a couple weeks ago to interview another local fighter for an upcoming feature, but in the process I watched Lee prepare for this fight. He looked focused, serious, and walked around like the prize fighter in a gym full of champions. The respect he got from others in attendance, like junior middleweight titlist Cornelius “K9” Bundrage was also palpable. Trainer and HBO analyst Emmanuel Steward (above) was kind enough speak to me briefly about the Irishman that has become his prize pupil, apart from heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko.
“It’s the biggest fight for both of them I think, even though Chavez is the WBC champion. Most of his situations, being realistic, were controlled situations you know, and a lot of junior middleweights. And I don’t think he’s ever fought a fighter with the extensive amateur extensive career that Andy Lee had,” Steward said, adding that Lee intends to win the belt and won’t be content just to be there, like previous Chavez Jr. opponents Peter Manfredo Jr. and Marco Antonio Rubio.
Steward also noted that neither man has been down in a combined 75 fights, demonstrating they both have good chins. The real question will be whether Lee has the power to hurt and ultimately stop Chavez. The Mexican has shown surprising resilience, but also the tendency to leave his chin hanging in the air. Steward refused to comment on the likelihood of Lee winning a decision so close to the Mexican border, where JCC’s old man is still a legend.
“Regardless of that situation, I train my fighters always almost to win by knockout. I don’t like decisions and I believe that Andy Lee has the ability to knockout Chavez,” Steward said. “I don’t care where the fight would be, if it was in Ireland, I’d figure Andy by 8th or 9th round should have stopped Chavez.”
Chavez Jr. has often been accused of taking a golden road to stardom, free from real challenges and blessed by the corrupt hand of WBC boss Jose Sulaiman. But between the two, it is Lee who has faced the softer competition. He also sports the lone blemish between the pair, a loss he later avenged to brawler Brian Vera. But Vera might have provided JCC Jr. with the blueprint he needs: get inside and make it uncomfortable for the Irishman, who would prefer to box from the outside. Chavez will bring pressure and attack the body, and likely get hit in the process. If he can take Lee’s punches well, he will probably win the fight.
Steward points to Lee’s experience sparring with the likes of Klitschko, Chad Dawson, Jermain Taylor, and others as a reason why he will win. But sparring is not fighting. Lee can win this fight, but to do so he must hurt Chavez, and probably do it more than once. Out of deference to his people, I didn’t post the video I took of his pad work, but it was impressive. He was really working the jab and timing his lead right uppercut. I think he will catch JCC Jr leaning in with that punch, and I believe he has enough pop in his straight left hand to hurt the Mexican. Steward unsurprisingly thinks so too.
“I think [Lee] brings a lot of experience, mental toughness coming into the fight. I think that once he gets [Chavez Jr.] in trouble, he’ll be able to finish him off,” Steward predicted.
I agree. We’re predicting Lee by knockout in the final round. It should be a hell of a fight.
NBC Sports Fight Night has thus far exceeded expectations with some crowd-pleasing match-ups presented by Kathy Duva’s Main Event Promotions. Chambers is a rarity at heavyweight: a true boxer in great shape, with tremendous speed. But Adamek is one of the few in the heavyweight division that can match his skill, and is probably the harder puncher out of these two puffed-up cruiserweights. I’m predicting a good fight but Adamek should catch up with Fast Eddie by the 10th round, particularly if he slashes the tires early with some body shots.
Chief support is another quality heavyweight matchup, which bodes well for NBC’s Nielsen ratings. Jennings has gone from unknown to a potential star by fighting twice on NBC Sports, who might have found their first star in the process. His win over Siarhei Liakhovich was truly impressive (and captured in tremendous fashion by our Trey Pollard). That fight showed Jennings might have a future at the world level, especially after the gigantic Klitschkos hang up their gloves. He faces another test in the unknown Steve Collins, who has racked up a record of 25-1-1 (18 KOs) fighting dubious competition in the Midwest and Texas. We’ll find out if Collins is for real, but I’m guessing Jennings will be too fast and too strong for him to go the distance.
The rest of the undercard is fairly undistinguished, though Main Event junior welterweight Jose Peralta Alejo has shown some flashes of ability when I’ve seen him fight in person. More likely to hit the airwaves is a matchup between veteran hardman Doel Carrasquillo and Jamaal Davis at welterweight. Fitting with the theme of the series, that fight should feature plenty of action despite little bearing on the rankings.
Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo tonight features lightweight Carlos Molina against Marcos Jimenez from Pharr, Texas….Fox Deportes will broadcast a show from Playa del Carmen, Mexico with tape-delay on Sunday. Carlos Cuadras vs Javier Franco at bantamweight is the main event….Scott Quigg fought Rendell Munroe to a technical draw at junior featherweight earlier tonight in Manchester, England. A nasty headclash in the third opened a cut on Munroe’s head; Quigg remains the British champion.