John Duddy vs Julio Cesar Chavez Junior

By Bennie

Two of the most protected fighters in the business get it on next month when New York-based Irishman John Duddy faces Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Junior at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Duddy, a 30-year-old with an uncanny ability to put bums on seats, was finally exposed last year when someone called Billy Lyell outscored him over 10 rounds in Newark, taking away his unbeaten record. Middleweight Duddy, 29-1 (18), has been brought back with three obscure wins, presumably in front of big, adoring crowds, but there is no evidence to suggest that he has what it takes to break into world class. On the one hand he is brave, aggressive and biffs a bit but the other palm reads too slow, too easy to hit and too quick to bleed. He required 25 stitches after one fight.
Chavez remains unbeaten at 41-0-1 (30) but turned pro way too young at 17 and was held to an early draw by fellow countryman Carlos Molina in Monterrey in 2005, after which he dropped down a level. Even then a part-time gas station attendant by the name of Matt Vanda – a man Duddy has beaten – should haver got the nod over him in 2008 in Mexico but was plainly robbed. Chavez took on Vanda again and proved he was the better fighter with a unanimous 10-round decision; Chavez also took on Molina again, by the way, and outscored him. At 24 the son of a great, great fighter needs to be tested, to be stepped up, to make his move – and this isn’t it.
Nevertheless, Chavez goes quite well to the body and looks to be developing a man’s strength, at last. He simply looks too young and mobile for the aggressive Duddy.