Bob Levey - Getty Images
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr returns to the ring in a month to face Marco Antonio Rubio. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Bob Arum won't have it with any ideas that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr is in easy again when he faces Marco Antonio Rubio on February 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, live on HBO. Here's what he said on Tuesday at a press conference, via RingTV.com:
"I have no idea what people in general know or don't know about Rubio. I just know that Chavez gets extremely good ratings when he fights on HBO, and that the people who really follow boxing know what a dangerous opponent Rubio is."
This is one of my favorite tactics that promoters use -- the ol' "people who really follow boxing think this is good and if you don't agree then you don't really follow boxing. Don't you want to be cool?" bit.
And look, it's not even a case where I don't think this is a good fight; it's a good fight. It really is, and I'm looking forward to watching it. But I still can't help but laugh at the prodding here.
[ Related: Double-Header Signed / Official Fight Poster ]
I can help clear up one mystery, though: "People in general" know nothing about Rubio. What Chavez's TV ratings have to do with anything here is totally unclear, but it sounds good and takes your attention away from being critical. Another sweet move.
Bob Arum slays me sometimes.
1 recs | 50 comments
This fight stinks.
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
Rubio’s a solid journeyman. Chavez is actually pretty much a high level journeyman fighter too if you take away the name.
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
Not like he received any damage in his last fight. Canelo got clocked harder by Cintron than he did from Manfredo. Fight a live body man!!!
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
The irony is of course that people who really follow boxing know this is a very beatable opponent for Chavez. He’s not a joke, but he aint much of a step up from Manfredo.
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
I agree.
But not a worthy contender at this point.
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
what point
contender to what?
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
http://ringtv.craveonline.com/ratings/middleweight
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=6402207
Well, rubio is not even a top 10 ranked fighter. JCC Jr. fighting one would be nice.
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
Why is Chavez #6 again? Is there actually a good reason for that? Do you think he is? If you don’t, then who cares where The Ring and Dan Rafael rank him?
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
Calm down, don’t get so bent out of shape. Not like Rubio’s on your top 10 list either. I don’t think he’s a worthy challenge for the belt. It’s a borderline showcase fight disguised in the form of a legitimate title defense imo.
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
Why do you think I’m bent out of shape?
No, he’s not. Neither is Chavez.
It’s a fight designed to draw and entertain fans, and it definitely will on the former and probably will on the latter.
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
Also, the idea of a “legitimate title defense” is kind of silly in this case — Chavez’s title is not and never has been legitimate, so what’s new?
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
Spot on SC.
The words Chavez and belts are used in the same sentence for one reason and one reason; to promote and sell fights
If only there were a way to use the word belt with a capital B instead of Champion, we might not laugh as hard.
That said, I think this is a good match as far as styles and level of fighter
pakinpower - January 3, 2012 via mobile
I disagree
I think Rubio is a fair step up. Maybe I’m in the minority here. He looked horrible against Pavlik, but Chavez doesn’t fight like Pavlik. Chavez is probably better than most of the fighters Rubio has actually beaten lately (Lemieux, Alvarez, Zertuche, Vanda, Ornelas, Miller, etc.), but if Rubio doesn’t come in fighting scared, I think he’s a very live dog.
Brickhaus - January 3, 2012
What happened to Joel Julio?
cylee1180 - January 3, 2012
He’s not very good? Nothing happened to him. He’s around. He’s fighting off TV on the NBC Sports show in Philly on 1/21.
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
That was very random.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Wishful thinking I suspect
pakinpower - January 3, 2012 via mobile
I dont get why everyone is hating on this.
Outside of the fact that it shouldnt be on HBO. This is a solid fight. Rubio is an okay fighter with heavy hands and Chavez is a guy who likes to stand there and bring it.
Im not in love with this fight but it is one that should show us if Chavez has improved at all.
tylerrcurtis - January 3, 2012
I agree. And kudos to Arum for being a great salesman.
RRod806 - January 3, 2012 via iPhone app
And to HBO for paying for fights that are meant to be entertaining.
This may not be a championship fight to anyone, especially those who know boxing but I think there is a very good chance a real fight may break out.
pakinpower - January 3, 2012 via mobile
should be a good action fight
i actually favor chavez jr big time in this matchup
nickfoxx - January 3, 2012
rubio is ok i guess.ehhh..i guess im happy theres an undercard like wv2 and nonito..i guess rubio will test him a bit? good for rubio getting a payday but i still think the silverspoon mexican star will come out on top..
Vicmatic1 - January 3, 2012
All I know right now is....
Showtime should be winning the ratings battle when it comes to boxing in this early new year.
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
All I know is Chavez is one of the top draws in boxing right now. This fight will most likely do very well and most likely better than any fight Showtime puts on this year.
I’ve given up on hating Chavez personally (not saying you do). There’s far worse crimes in boxing than putting a very popular fighter on TV who makes for fun fights. Yes his title is a joke but so are half the titles out there. Boxing, gotta love it!
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
Many more people will watch Chavez fight Rubio than will watch Berto fight Ortiz.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Sure, the subscriber argument supports that.
But I still think Berto-Ortiz is a better fight. And I was dissappointed about the Morales postponement. Thats all. And I did say early year. Not for the rest of the year, especially since the rest of the year’s fights aren’t set yet.
Chavez does have skills and this could be a test… But Berto-Ortiz is still a bigger draw.
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
How is Berto-Ortiz a bigger draw? You think they do a bigger live gate at the MGM Grand?
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Do you think Chavez -Rubio will?
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
I think Chavez Jr. will be a good draw in San Antonio, yes. Not totally sure how Berto-Ortiz will do at Vegas. Berto is not a draw anywhere, by any stretch of the imagination. Last time Ortiz was in the MGM he got knocked out while trying to makeout with Floyd. And even Floyd doesn’t sellout the MGM. Poor Vegas economy can’t help either. It definitely raised some eyebrows when they announced it would be in the MGM.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Styles make fights...
I’m not making the argument which fight sells more. I was saying that more folks might tune in to see a potintial fight of the year rematch, over a hyped up prospect vs a journey man.
And I’m fully aware that Chavez is huge in the Southwest and Mexico.
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
Where on planet earth did the styles make fights argument come in here?
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
…
Uhhhh.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
I am wondering the same thing.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Reckon our answer goes something like "STYLES MAKE FIGHTS GUYs GEEEEEZ DON’T YOU KNOW THAT?
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
My bad, wrong terminology. Maybe I should have said a more popular fight. Something like that I guess.
U can put away ur pitchforks now.
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
Chavez-Rubio will get more viewers AND a bigger gate, what the hell are you arguing for? If it’s that Berto-Ortiz will sell more or be more popular or whatever “terminology” you are using, you are just wrong. It’s ok to be wrong sometimes Clove, just back away slowly…
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
And yes we all agree Berto-Ortiz is a better fight and should get more viewers, but that’s just not reality.
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
Ur condescending tone is sooo refreshing.
Clove_art - January 3, 2012
No, it’s not “the subscriber argument” – no one’s giving that argument. It’s the old “my name’s Julio Cesar Chavez” argument, which means that a lot of people will watch Jr because a lot of people loved watching his dad. Berto-Ortiz will get a fair few views – it got a fair few views when it aired on HBO, although that was a free preview weekend – but you’d be kidding yourself if you thought it was a bigger draw. It isn’t and sadly it won’t ever be.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
Exactly. Life’s not fair, but that’s the way it is. Berto-Ortiz is a much better fight on paper but that doesn’t always translate into higher ratings which is too bad.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Also, on Chavez having skills – well, er, sort of. He can jab a little, I guess.
Oli Goldstein - January 3, 2012
Depends what you mean by “should,” because Showtime isn’t going to come close simply because they don’t have nearly as many subscribers.
Scott Christ - January 3, 2012
No need to talk that way to the young man Scott
He’s a GB fanboy who enjoys making poor comments based on his prejudices against the promoter of in this case the better selling fight.
pakinpower - January 4, 2012 via mobile
I like the idea of Rubio more than Rubio himself. He put on a stinker against Kelly Pavlik and while he did beat Lemieux, he mostly sat on the ropes for the first four rounds (I know it was strategy, but still … ) I don’t think too highly of JCC, but he’s big, got decent power and he’s gotten better under Roach. I don’t see Rubio doing enough to beat him.
Apprentice - January 3, 2012
What I mean with the idea of Rubio is that I like that he’s getting another big fight but…
Apprentice - January 3, 2012
Seems like a thoroughly entertaining Friday Night Fight to me.
BoxAnne - January 3, 2012
I agree that this fight belongs on another network as far as the level of the combatants. How often do we have numbers 10-20 guys headlining a HBO card? However, Chavez Jr. has higher tv ratings than most other HBO fighters so we’re in a strange predicament because a good number of HBO subscribers enjoy watching Chavez Jr. against overmatched competition.
I strongly believe HBO should pay for “fights,” not “fighters,” and, thus, I don’t see why HBO should pay money for Chavez Jr. to fight if it isn’t against quality competition. However, if we acknowledge the fact that Chavez Jr. is very popular, I actually believe this is a fair fight to have on HBO. It’s better than Manfredo Jr.; it’s as good as Zbik. Moreover, all the Rubio fights I’ve seen recently were fun fights to watch.
I see Rubio being a live dog here. I don’t see Rubio being intimidated. He went into the David Lemiuex fight as a big underdog in Montreal where Lemiuex had a large fan base and he knocked him out. Against Pavlik, he was just overmatched. Here, the talent level is around the same. Clearly, Rubio is a come-forward brawler, not a boxer, but he’s a pretty good come-forward brawler. After you get around the fake title bs, I like this fight.
rantcatrat - January 3, 2012
I would think that the job of a network executive is to put on flights that are entertaining to the largest possible audience.
It’s pretty close to impossible to argue that that is not what they are doing here
pakinpower - January 4, 2012 via mobile
If it’s like the Zbik – Chavez Jr fight should be entertaining, but Rubio will have to get a knockout if he wants a win because if it goes to decision Chavez Jr’s like the Harlem Globetrotters.
Counterpunch - January 3, 2012
Lest we forget....Nonito is on this card
pakinpower - January 4, 2012
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