Julio César Álvarez vs César Chávez Jr: a fight that boxing needs

Two of Mexico's finest boxers finally meet and a spectacular show is guaranteed

In what might be the biggest all-Mexican fight in boxing history, Canelo Álvarez and Julio César Chávez Jr, easily their nation's most popular boxers, will square off in a long-anticipated match.

"I'm excited about my fight against Julio César Chávez Jr and confirm that I will be prepared, like I've been throughout my career, to give a great fight," Álvarez said.

"I want to remind you that when two Mexican fighters face off, a spectacular show is guaranteed."

Chávez said: "I dedicate this fight to Mexico. I'm going to win, but my country will too because this is the fight that boxing needs."

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The two fighters will meet at a catch-weight of 75kg. The fight is a scheduled 12-rounder which will headline an HBO PPV card.

"Boxing has been searching for a fight to draw the casual fan back to our sport, and Canelo versus Chávez Jr is just that fight," Golden Boy chief executive Oscar De La Hoya said. "Canelo, one of the biggest stars in boxing, will take on not only a former world champion in Julio César Chávez Jr, but the son of the biggest star [Julio César Chávez] in the history of boxing in Mexico.

"Add in 98 wins and 66 knockouts between these two superstars, and you have a can't-miss battle."

Álvarez is a former middleweight world champion, and Chávez also once held a world title at 73kg .

Agreeing on the weight was one of the major sticking points during a drawn-out negotiation that began last November.

The 30-year-old Chávez (50-2-1, 32 KOs)has failed to make weight for several fights, had issues outside the ring and went just three-two in a five-fight stretch from 2012 to 2015.

But after 17 months out of the ring, Chávez returned on December 10. He made weight (76kg) and looked good in a one-sided 10-round decision against fringe contender Dominik Britsch, setting the stage for the showdown with Álvarez.

There is no love lost between Álvarez and Chávez, whose match was highly anticipated a few years ago, but appeared as though it might never happen because of the growing weight discrepancy.

But Álvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) said he was willing to put the weight difference aside and move up dramatically for such a big fight.

block_quotes_start Do not be surprised if Chávez Jr. can pull off the upset. What is at stake for Canelo is pride; it's honour. That's why the fight is so intriguing. It's personal block_quotes_end

"Putting the weight aside, I'm doing this because it's such a significant fight, if not the biggest in Mexican history," Álvarez said.

"It's personal for me. He has talked bad about me for so many years. I want to shut him up."

Álvarez, 26, said that though he is fighting Chávez, it does not in any way diminish his love and respect for Chávez senior, the boxing idol of Mexico.

"It doesn't change anything," he said. "It's a different era now. I still have affection for the father. He's still an idol, but fighting his son has nothing to do with that."

As big as the fight might be for Mexico, Álvarez is a substantial favourite against Chávez, whose career has never been quite the same since he lost his middleweight belt in a one-sided decision to Sergio Martinez in 2012 and then moved up in weight.

Álvarez also has even bigger business looming in September against unified middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin.

Golovkin outlasted Daniel Jacobs in an exhausting 12-round defence of his middleweight title on March 18, and Golden Boy and K2 Promotions can finalise the deal both sides say they intend to make .

Chávez is a big underdog in this fight whether he wants to admit that or not.

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The boxing public largely sees Chávez as a fighter that hasn't done much in the last five years of his career since he lost to Martinez.

Chávez hasn't shown the ambition seen from Canelo. Canelo has done a lot more with his career in the last six years and that's because he wanted to accomplish great things.

Canelo might not be as good as guys like Jermall Charlo, Erislandy Lara, Jacobs or Golovkin, but he's been able to find success facing guys like Amir Khan, James Kirkland, Alfredo Angulo and Liam Smith.

"In other words, Canelo's promoter at Golden Boy has done a great job of matching him against beatable opposition," said De La Hoya. "This is the type of fight that will motivate Canelo Álvarez and take him to the next level in terms of training harder, being smarter up in the ring, doing things correctly, making sure you're in tip-top shape for the fight; there are no excuses.

"That's who Canelo is. Canelo can't lose, because the fighter that loses has to go back to Mexico and face his countryman.

"That's why this fight is so intriguing and personal. Chávez Jr. is motivated. He is serious about this fight. There is fire in his eyes.

"Do not be surprised if Chávez Jr. can pull off the upset. What is at stake for Canelo is pride; it's honour. That's why the fight is so intriguing. It's personal. Chávez wants to prove to everyone that he can do this.

"If he beats Canelo, thenChávez Jr. becomes the iconic figure of all Mexico," added De La Hoya.