Fighter Blog: Chavez Jr. Part 1

Wednesday, August 22 - Chavez write-up/blog Part 1

Discuss your best and worst memory as a fighter, and which wins -- amateur or professional -- have been the most satisfying or memorable?

“My best memory as a fighter is winning the World Middleweight Championship. It was my dream to become a world champion. That’s why I decided to become a professional fighter. Beating Sebastian Zbik in Los Angeles to become the middleweight champion is something that I will never forget and for so many reasons. Not many people believed that I could do it and that inspired me. The select few who did believe in me encouraged me and sacrificed for me. And to win the title only a few blocks from the old Olympic where my father won his first world title, well, that made it even more special for me. My father and I will always be linked together because we won our first world championship belts in the same city.”

"My worst memory was In July 2008 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico I had a very difficult time in the ring. It was very hot all week and I started getting sick the day before the weigh-in and never fully recuperated after the weigh-in. I had a fever the night before the fight but I went through with the fight and the last two rounds where the most difficult time I had in the ring. I could barely walk and was just standing up because of my pride and my heart. I threw up in the ring after the fight and had a fever.”

“My most memorable victory was against Zbik and winning the middleweight championship of the world. It was a very difficult fight early but I was able to come back in the second half of the fight and win it. It is a feeling that will stay with me forever.  To hear the ring announcer say, ‘The winner and new...’ That is something I will never forget. That is something I never want to forget. Of course I now like hearing the ring announcer say, ‘ The winner, and still…’ and that’s exactly what he will say in the ring on September 15 after my fight Sergio Martinez ends.”

2 Days: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. & Face Off With Max Kellerman: Chavez Jr./Martinez debuts back-to-back Sat., August 25 at 12:30am ET/PT and 12:45am ET/PT, respectively, on HBO.

Chavez Jr. vs. Martinez takes place Sat., Sept. 15 live on HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT.