The Pros and Cons of Being Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

By Eric Raskin

Photo Credit: Ed MulhollandJulio Cesar Chavez Jr. is, by the most literal of definitions, another Julio Cesar Chavez.

But in the more figurative sense, he ain’t no Julio Cesar Chavez.

And nobody ever really expected him to be.

Junior turned pro at age 17 as a big-name novelty, selling tickets and headlining minor pay-per-views on the strength of that name that his Hall of Fame father established. Now, nearing his 26th birthday, Junior is still a big-name novelty. It’s just that the balance between those two defining terms has shifted. There’s only the slightest hint of novelty remaining, and he’s become one of the biggest names in boxing partially on the strength of what he – not his father – has done.

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Boxing's Best Of 2011

By Eric Raskin

The 12 Days of Christmas are fun and all, but for fight fans, the end of 2011 is all about seven days of boxing. From December 26-29, HBO will replay the seven most memorable boxing matches of the year, including Fight of the Year candidates, history-makers and record-breakers, featuring some of the biggest superstars in the sport.

One thing all seven fights had in common was that they featured at least one combatant with something serious to prove (which is a not-uncommon ingredient in fights that turn out to be as great in the ring as they appear on paper). We’ll break down the action of all seven fights, with a little help from HBO commentator Max Kellerman.

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