Julio Cesar Chavez Jr's Next Fight: Andy Lee Out, Darren Barker May Be Leading Candidate
by Scott Christ on Nov 30, 2011 12:30 PM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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Dan Rafael of ESPN tweeted a couple of developments regarding Julio Cesar Chavez Jr's next fight today. Chavez is expected to return in the spring, possibly in March, following his November 19 stoppage of Peter Manfredo Jr in Houston.
[ Related: Chavez Stops Manfredo in Five ]
One name who appears out is Andy Lee, the Irish southpaw promoted by DiBella Entertainment, because Top Rank doesn't want to put Chavez in with a left-handed fighter. Lee (27-1, 19 KO) is far from a flawless fighter, and in fact is in some ways a lot like Chavez himself: He can punch, he's fun to watch fight, and he makes mistakes defensively. Chavez vs Lee would be a very good fighter from a style matchup standpoint, but apparently at 25 (turning 26 in February) and crowned as "world champion," Chavez is not yet ready for a left-handed fighter.
Lou DiBella was pretty quick to respond, calling Chavez a "paper champ" and "a joke." Of course, DiBella was the promoter behind Manfredo on the 19th, and it's not like that fight being an HBO feature was great shakes, so...
Rafael says the leading candidate appears to be Britain's Darren Barker (23-1, 14 KO). Barker, 29, is coming off of a mildly competitive October 1 stoppage loss to legit division champion Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City. I'm not sure what the reaction to Barker getting another title shot would be, but I would expect many to balk at Barker getting the fight off of a clear loss to Martinez. As much as I think Darren is good enough to test Chavez -- who is no Sergio Martinez -- and that the fight is a step up from Manfredo (and a big one), there are still other, better fights that can be made.
[ Related: Cotto vs Margarito Winner Could Face Chavez ]
One thing is pretty obvious: Chavez will not fight Martinez next, and the WBC is going to have to put itself to the test thanks to their own guarantee that Chavez has to fight Martinez or be stripped. Top Rank's Bob Arum has also expressed serious interest in matching Chavez with the Cotto vs Margarito winner. Those two meet on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
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I like Barker and I think that this is a good fight and test for Chavez. I would think that it might be a tough sell to HBO though given that Barker was pretty cautious, and given the eventual outcome probably understandably so, against Martinez.
Honestly though, forgetting about Martinez, how long does Rubio have to wait for the title shot that he earned by beating David Lemieux?
Barker is at least a contender, I just have a fear that Chavez will be matched against someone like Sergio Mora or beyond.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
Rubio seems happy to take easy fights in Mexico while he waits. If Chavez gets stripped I would think Martinez vs Rubio would get made if Martinez can’t get a bigger fight.
More likely the WBC will probably let Chavez fight Rubio instead of Martinez. Then again, if Andy Lee is too dangerous then maybe Rubio is too.
I really wouldn’t mind Rubio v Chavez as a means to ‘give Chavez time’ before fighting Martinez.. In fact I would maybe pick Chavez to win that fight, though I wouldn’t be totally sure.
I would imagine though for Chavez to fight the winner of Cotto v Margarito at a 157-8 catchweight, and then if he wins that he will move up to 168 and fight Pavlik, thus avoiding Canelo and Martinez in one move. That is unless Pavlik looks really good in a comeback fight.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
by Eoin_not_ian on Nov 30, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions
Barker won’t be a tough sell if Peter Manfredo and Sebastian Zbik weren’t. Chavez draws numbers. They’ll approve just about anything remotely within reason at this point.
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by Scott Christ on Nov 30, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
Well Zbik I understood as he held a belt. Manfredo, well…yeah. Maybe HBO will feel that Barker deserves another shot as Buffer got his name wrong the first time.
If Top Rank can’t get a deal done with Barker, they could do a deal with Brian Vera, since he also just lost to a guy that that they don’t want Chavez to fight.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
by Eoin_not_ian on Nov 30, 2011 3:08 PM EST up reply actions
Let’s not forget the HBO crew spending the entire damn fight making it sound like Barker was gutting out some titanic upset performance.
I swear to god, I turned that on around the 6th round and the way they were talking had me sitting there going “holy shit, is Barker actually winning this fight?” until they flashed Herald’s scorecard which, i believe, was a shutout.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Nov 30, 2011 3:32 PM EST up reply actions
Zbik I understood as he held a belt.
Zbik wasn’t good enough to fight Sergio Martinez on HBO all of three months earlier. HBO turned that fight down. It’s 100% about Chavez and his audience.
Maybe HBO will feel that Barker deserves another shot as Buffer got his name wrong the first time.
Haha.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Nov 30, 2011 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
As a Martinez fan I remember the Zbik issue. It still pisses me off, but Chavez v Zbik to me was more worthy than Canelo v Matthew Hatton as an HBO ‘world’ title fight. Also wasn’t the fight announced a short while after the Pacquiao fight was lost to Showtime? I just thought it was a way for HBO to get back into TR’s good books.
Being British though, I’m a bit removed from HBO politics. I watched the Sky feed, so all I know for sure is that the fight went exactly the way that Emanuel Steward thought it would.
Nobody will read this and care and why should they?
by Eoin_not_ian on Nov 30, 2011 7:24 PM EST up reply actions
Also wasn’t the fight announced a short while after the Pacquiao fight was lost to Showtime? I just thought it was a way for HBO to get back into TR’s good books.
this was one of the things I thought at the time, too.
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"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
This is horseshit…
If Chavez isn’t ready for a fighter of Lee’s caliber now, he’ll never be. Nobody wants to see him against Barker when there are other better options.
I don’t think Lee is really that much of a better option than Baker.
All of it. Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie. I want it all.
by Eugene Banks on Nov 30, 2011 3:02 PM EST up reply actions
you AND Buffer got his name wrong....lol
Or maybe there was sarcasm there
"That was very funny about the old man basketball skills. One is lucky to escape injury when playing against those crafty, crusty sumbitches. And it’s just demoralizing when they demonstrate yet again how to use the backboard from range." - Charlie Custer
by SmittytheCutman on Dec 1, 2011 2:51 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Anyone but Barker.
Someone game, preferably.
by Shitali Klitschko on Nov 30, 2011 6:06 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Barker is a GOOD test for Chavez Jr.
He didn’t open up against Martinez for a reason, but I believe he would against Chavez Jr. Why isn’t Kid Chocolate being considered?
Hasn’t anyone figured out yet that Top Rank tosses up all these “possible” opponents, damn well knowing they are never going to put Chavez in there with any of them? If Lee is too dangerous (I believe he is), then Barker will be, Quillin will be…basically anybody that would have a great chance or be favored to beat Chavez will be avoided. Only possible exception being Canelo, due to it being a bigger attraction. So basically TR will trade Chavez’ 0 for extra cake lol. ‘HIS 0 MUST GO…TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER!’
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