Eddie Hearn is willing to give Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. another chance on an undercard, but the Matchroom promoter says he will have to fight for a lot less money.
Undercard appearances and smaller purses are just part of a long, difficult challenge facing Chavez Jr., if he in fact tries to come back from a controversial TKO loss last Friday to Danny Jacobs.
The fight ended with a Phoenix crowd tossing debris in anger over Chavez’s decision not to continue after the fifth round.
“It’s gotten to a stage where the only thing he can do is come back on an undercard somewhere,’’ Hearn said on “The Last Round” podcast. “I would probably put him on, but he can’t get the money he’s been getting, and he has to come back at a lower level and try and get a good win.’’
After undergoing surgery for a broken nose and getting 10 stitches for a cut above an eye, Chavez Jr, said he intends to fight again. He even asked Jacobs for a rematch
But Hearn said he needs a string of bouts to repair a reputation as fractured as that nose. It’ll be awhile before he’ll be back in a main event for big money. According to contracts filed with the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission, Chavez Jr. was guaranteed $2 million for the Jacobs fight. An additional $1 million form Mexican media and advertisers was believed to be in his final paycheck.
However, he paid Jacobs $1 million when he knew he couldn’t make 168 pounds. That was the price to renegotiate the deal, making it a 173-pound fight instead of a super middleweight bout. Chavez, who was 172.7 at the weigh-in and looked to be at least 190 at opening bell, wound up with maybe $2 million.
Hearn said he would pay him $100,000 for a comeback bout on a Matchroom-promoted undercard. He also said Chavez Jr. should fight at light heavyweight (175-pound limit).
Hearn said he still likes Chavez Jr.’s potential. He also likes his drawing power, which is linked to his iconic father, Julio Cesar Chavez. The fight was uncertain four days before opening bell. That’s when a Nevada judge granted Chavez Jr. an injunction lifting his suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He was under suspension for allegedly refusing a drug test in early October. The day before the judge’s ruling, about 5,000 tickets had been sold. At opening bell, an estimated crowd of 12,000 was at Talking Stick Arena in downtown Phoenix.
“The numbers are great,’’ Hearn said.
But the question remains: Will Chavez Jr. accept smaller purses on any undercard?
“Do you want to fight for $100,000 in a 10-rounder at 7 (p.m.)?’’ Hearn said. “He may think he’s above that. ‘I’m Chavez Jr.’
“If he truly loves the sport, he might do it. If not, he won’t bother.’’