Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. Pulls out a bloody Unanimous Decision Over Luciano Cuello

Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. Pulls out a bloody Unanimous Decision Over Luciano Cuello

By Gabriel Montoya, MaxBoxing.com (Mar 28, 2009) This article provided by MaxBoxing

Before a raucous crowd at the Plaza de Toros in Tijuana, Mexico, Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. (39-0-1 with 29 KOs) scored a unanimous decision over previously undefeated Luciano Cuello (23-1with 9 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina in ten bloody, action filled rounds. Cuello, an unknown quantity coming into the bout, made a very good account of himself despite suffering a broken nose early in the bout that bled profusely throughout the fight. Chavez, Jr. started well but gave up his size advantage and instead took the action inside, playing into his opponents hands but making an entertaining TV bout.

The action started one-sided as Chavez, Jr boxed from the outside behind a solid jab and dug to either side of Cuello ribs. Cuello looked either overmatched or overpatient as he caught shots on his gloves and elbows and ate the jab while seemingly being content to stay on the outside. Chavez, Jr. showed good movement and nice technique as he clearly took the first two rounds from the outside edges of the ring.

But in the third and fourth round, after taking Chavez, Jr’s best shots and getting a good look at his arsenal, Cuello closed the distance and Chavez, Jr. obliged. Chavez, Jr. fought small and Cuello took advantage, shooting nice uppercuts between Chavez, Jr’s loose guard. Chavez, Jr. would get in a hard left hook in the corner but Cuello opened up and landed a flurry on Chavez, Jr. A cut opened up on the Cuello’s head and his nose was broken by this time but he was unbowed as he unloaded his arsenal and pressed forward.

Chavez, Jr. went back to the jab in the fifth and made it easy on himself as he kept Cuello at bay and out of his wheelhouse. Cuello would counter that in the sixth by shooting the jab to get inside and unloading a nice right hand. Chavez, Jr. seemed to abandon the jab and Cuello’s defense tightened. This was getting interesting.

In the seventh round, Jr. was cut by a punch over his right eye. Between his eye and the blood flowing from Cuello’s nose, the fighter’s were turning into bloody messes. Chavez, Jr. ate some hard jabs from Cuello but managed to get in a solid right of his own. It was a tight round but Cuello’s defense and his active jab seemed to win it.

Down the stretch, the action was in a phone booth as both men met at center, put their shoulders together, and wailed away through the tight openings. Uppercuts for Chavez, Jr. Hard jabs and the occasional right hand for Cuello. Jr. seemed to push the pace at times but Cuello, despite knowing he was hopelessly behind on the cards due to the WBC’s ridiculous open scoring, fought hard to keep his “0”. He stayed with his jab and shot to the body. Chavez, Jr. seemed to defend his uppercut better as the fight went on and managed to work his way through the guard of Cuello with chopping rights that set up his hooks to the head and body. Both men were covered in blood, winging hard shots and taking as good as they got all the way to the final bell. It wasn’t pretty but it was a solid effort by both men and a great learning experience for Chavez, Jr. Scores were 96-95, 98-92, and 96-94.

“ It was a good fight,” said Chavez, Jr. afterwards. “I learned a lot over those ten rounds. It was the first time I was cut.”

What is next for Chavez, Jr. is uncertain though his promoter, Bob Arum, feels it’s time finally for a step up to the next level.

“We are looking for a major opponent,” said Arum. “There are a number of people we are looking at. John Duddy, or Oscar De La Hoya if he decides to fight on. Maybe Manny Pacquiao which would be a great fight, Mexico vs. The Philippines.”

Chavez, Jr. seemed excited about the prospect of moving up in class.

“Those fights are ones that will motivate me,” he said. “I look forward to those challenges.”

Humberto Soto (47-7-2 with 30 KOs) put on a quite a show in stopping Antonio Davis (26-6 with 13 KOs) in four. Soto entered wearing a white cowboy hat and sucking a lollipop ala Jorge Arce, looking confident and relaxed. But when the bell rang, he came out on fire, ripping body shots and shooting right hands and hard left hooks. Davis looked a bit shaky as he ate a hard uppercut and immediately tied up. A left hook grazed Davis and he went down despite the shot not looking very hard.

Davis started the second by getting in a solid right hand. Davis tried crowding Soto but ate an uppercut for his trouble. Soto followed it up by getting a hard left hook and digging to the body of Davis who rushed forward and winged wild shots. Soto picked him off nicely, though, landing right hand counters and working well off the ropes.

In the third, Davis tried smothering Soto’s attack and it effectively disrupted his attack in spots. Sotto stayed patient and economical, though. Pumping his jab, he was able to pry open room for his right hand and managed to get in a nice uppercut but it was a tough round to watch as Davis did his best to tie up and keep Sotto close while landing the occasional chopping right.

It was looking like it might be a long night of grappling from Davis until Soto landed a beautiful right hand off a solid jab and the force sent Davis crashing to the canvas. Amazingly, he rose late in the count but it was clean up duty for Soto as he landed another one-two that dropped Davis. He would rise again on shaky legs, moving about the ring and trying to avoid the excellent finisher in front of him. Sdoto walked him down and landed a series of jab right hands until the referee waived it off as Davis wobbled at 2:38 of the fourth.

Fernando Montiel 39-2-3 with 29 KOs) looked impressive in stopping Diego Silva (24-2 with 12 KOs) in three rounds. Montiel started off tentative cautious as Silva came out aggressive, flurrying and bullying him to the ropes. But Montiel stayed on point, getting in short right hands and hard jabs in spots.

In the second, Montiel stepped it up, gauging his range and getting in his jab. He boxed smart and getting in a right hand. Silva seemed less aggressive and ineffective in wild attack, eating short right hands and jabs. Near the end of the round, Montiel landed left hand sending Silva to the canvas. Montiel followed up strong, getting in a flurry and a hard uppercut at the bell.

In the third, a hard one-two from Montiel dropped his opponent. He would rise but was hurt and Montiel got in a left hook that dropped him again. He would rise again and Montiel got in a hard jab, jab, right hand. Silva took it well though and seemed to be getting his feet under until Montiel caught him coming in with a beautiful short left hook that dropped him on his face and the referee waived it off at 2:24 of the third.

In a heated, all action opening bout, Antonio Diaz (45-5-1 with 27 KOs) took a unanimous decision over Javier Castro (19-2 with 17 KOs). The fight didn’t take long to heat up as both men met at center ring and assumed their roles. Diaz pressured forward and Castro danced along the edge of the ring, working his jab and looking for the right hand. A 1-2 for Diaz got Castro’s attention and he moved to the ropes. Diaz would open up. Castro would answer with right hand off a left hook miss. He’d follow up with nice left uppercut and right hook that buzzed Diaz. It was back and forth from there with each man getting in hard shots and taking them in return. Diaz used his experience to box just enough to get off first and keep the younger man off balance in his attack. Castro would land a series of low blows that ultimately cost him a point. Down the stretch, it seemed as if Diaz might be tiring and Castro looked to take advantage but the veteran found a second wind and held off the late charge. Scores were 95-94 and 96-93 twice.

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