Tag: Peleamundo

Julio Cesar Chavez reflects on Cinco de Mayo fights and more

Julio Cesar Chavez spoke to host Jessie Vargas on a special holiday episode of the new Matchroom Boxing Spanish-language show “Peleamundo.”

Julio Cesar Chavez fought often in May – including on Cinco de Mayo weekend a number of times – and, he said, it always had special meaning for him.

The Mexican Hall of Famer, now 57, spoke at length with host Jessie Vargas on a special holiday episode of the new Matchroom Boxing Spanish-language show “Peleamundo” about that subject and more.

The episode will be available at 5 p.m. ET today on the Matchroom YouTube channel.

Among Chavez’s translated comments:

“It’s a very special day for all Mexicans,” Chavez said. “I fought many times in May representing all Mexicans. It’s something very, very special, something very beautiful feeling the love, the support from all the Mexican Americans that lived in the United States.

“Above all, the Mexicans, [they] truly are the ones who support other Mexicans who go and triumph in the United States. For them it’s something great that one can represent them. I always tried to represent them in the best way. Fortunately, I gained their respect, but above all, I won the love of the people. Nobody can take it away from me.

“They were great, they were huge for me because I always had the support of all the Mexicans that moved [to the U.S.]. I don’t even remember any more if I won or lost, I think I won more than I lost!

“The one thing I’m left with is with the joy that I gave to the Mexicans there, the euphoria with which they received me, they presented me, and they followed me. I always have that. …

“There are opponents that are complicated for us. The truth is that for me, Frankie Randall’s style was always complicated for me. Even in the third fight, because in the second fight, even though I beat him, the truth is that if it weren’t for the head butt no one knows how it would have gone for me because I was already really tired.

“Honestly in that fight, I had prepared like never before. My addiction was already very far along. But I stopped for a bit there because I had lost, I wanted to avenge my loss. I stopped a bit, despite the fact that my addiction was already very advanced. I stopped a bit, I tried to stop a bit in order to take back my title and that’s how it went. I think I went a bit too far, I prepared so well, that I went into the fight over-trained. In the second round, I felt that my arms were already falling.

“Fortunately, thank God, based on pure experience I took the fight. I had another fight against him in Mexico City where I already knew his style and there, I beat him more easily.”

Vargas also was joined by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman.

Eddy Reynoso has great expectations for Julio Cesar Martinez

Trainer Eddy Reynoso wants flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez to unify at 112 pounds and then move up to 115.

Is flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez a threat to Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez at junior bantamweight? His trainer, Eddy Reynoso, thinks so.

Martinez, an under-the-radar little man from Mexico, appeared to win a 112-pound title last August when he stopped Charlie Edwards in three rounds only to have the result declared a no-contest because he punched Edwards while he was down.

No problem. Martinez (16-1, 12 KOs) scored a ninth-round knockout of Cristofer Rosales four months later to win the vacant championship and successfully defended against Jay Harris in February.

Reynoso would like to see his 25-year-old protege unify against either Moruti Mthalane or Kosei Tanaka at 112 pounds and then move up to 115.

Julio Cesar Martinez earned a unanimous-decision victory over Jay Harris in the first defense of his flyweight title. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

In Reynoso’s opinion, the sky is the limit with Martinez.

“He’s very disciplined,” Reynoso said in the second episode of Matchroom Boxing’s Spanish-language series “Peleamundo.” “He shows all the characteristics of a typical Mexican fighter. He likes to fight. He likes to train and more than anything, he’s a star.

“In such few fights he’s already won a world championship and I believe if he keeps on the same path, he’s going to do great things because he’s a good fighter who’s very fond of learning, he’s very technical. He’s there. He’s a great champion.

Reynoso went on: “He’s charismatic, he’s brave, he’s a very strong fighter for the division. He has lots of endurance. He’s not scared. Whatever fight you put him in, he’ll fight. He’s different than the other fighters. He has a few things to learn, but we’re going to vary the training to get him more technically sound fight by fight.”

Reynoso also likes Martinez’s demeanor.

“He’s always laughing and smiling,” he said. “He turns the fights into like a circus. He’s very positive. You never see him angry. He’s a very hard working, smiling, laughing, positive fighter.”

And, Reynoso added, Martinez is just getting started.

“We’re going to keep him at flyweight and try to defend and unify with Tanaka or Mthalane,” he said. “… We’re getting harder fights little by little. We’ll move up to 115 pounds to fight Estrada, [Carlos] Cuadras, Chocolatito, there’s so many good fighters. And I believe it’s step by step. We’ll keep him at featherweight then move up to super featherweight.”

The second episode of “Peleamundo” will hit Matchroom’s YouTube channel on Sunday. Welterweight contender Jessie Vargas is the host.

Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez discuss prospective showdown

Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez gave their thoughts on a prospective showdown during the first episode of “Peleamundo.”

Juan Francisco Estrada surprised many people when he gave Roman Gonzalez spirited resistance in 2012, losing a decision in his first title fight.

A lot has happened since then.

Estrada has won titles in two divisions and gained recognition as one of the best fighters in the world. He’s No. 9 on the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list. Gonzalez, once No. 1 worldwide, lost back-to-back fights to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2017 – the second time by brutal knockout – but is coming off a sensational KO of Kal Yafai in February.

Now Estrada (40-3, 27 KOs) and Gonzalez (49-2, 41 KOs) appear to be headed toward a title-unification rematch. The fighters gave their thoughts on the prospective showdown during the first episode of “Peleamundo,” Mathroom Boxing’s new YouTube show. Welterweight contender Jessie Vargas is the host.

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“I’ve had three losses and I’ve avenged two of them,” said Estrada, who last year regained the 115-pound title he lost to Sor Rungvisai in 2018. “I haven’t been able to avenge my loss to Gonzalez yet because we never fought again, but hopefully this time around, I will win, and that loss will be avenged as well.

“I’m the champ. I have a lot of respect for him. It’s a big fight and we both deserve big purses.
Everything looks and sound good but it’s all about the money. We’re friends and both fighting for our families. I want to unify if I’m given the opportunity. I’ll fight whatever opponent is available. I know there will be some good fights made by the promoters.

“I don’t know Yafai personally, however I do know Roman, and he’s a great champion. I know he had a lot of support from the people of Nicaragua. I was happy for him because he’s such a humble person. Without a doubt I was with Roman Gonzalez in that fight.

“It’s been eight years [since the first fight] and I’m very excited for this fight. I believe the people really want to see it as well. I’m a great fighter. It’s going to be a great show. It’s going to be a better and bigger fight than the bigger weight classes.”

Said Gonzalez: “I’m a lion in the ring. We put in the work to win but after we can be friends, and everything will go back to normal. It’s going to be a very good fight. Everyone talks before the fight but all that matters is the day of the fight.

“We both need to just demonstrate to the public that the lighter weight divisions can put on a good show. We’re the ones carrying boxing right now, the smaller weight classes, and if I fight Estrada, it’s going to be historical.”

Matchroom Boxing to launch new Spanish-language interview show

Former two-division titleholder Jessie Vargas will host Matchroom Boxing’s new Spanish-language interview show “Peleamundo.”

Matchroom Boxing USA has announced the imminent launch of a Spanish-language series “Peleamundo.”

Former two-division titleholder Jessie Vargas will host the show, which will appear on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel “Peleamundo.” Vargas will interview the biggest Spanish-speaking fighters in the Matchroom stable and others.

That includes Juan Francisco Estrada, Julio Cesar Martinez, Roman Gonzalez and Amanda Serrano, as well as prospects Diego Pacheco, Alexis Espino and Marc Castro.

Vargas also will speak to legends of the sport, celebrity boxing fans and fans in general in his #AskJessie section.

The show is set to launch this coming weekend.

“I am so excited to be part of this new series ‘Peleamundo’ with Matchroom Boxing USA,” Vargas said. “There is a wealth of elite level and rising Hispanic fighters in the Matchroom Boxing USA stable and the Latino fight fans are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate followers of our great sport. I can’t wait to bring them exclusive interviews with their favorite fighters and also get the fans on the show to answer the questions they have.

“As the show develops, I hope to be talking to some of the real greats of the game and my favorite fighters, as well as going behind the scenes at Matchroom Boxing USA shows. It’s going to be a blast!”

Said promoter Eddie Hearn: “I am delighted to bring ‘Peleamundo’ to the Hispanic fight fans. There are so many fantastic fighters with a Latin flavor, and I am sure that we will create some fantastic exclusive content with both the launch interviews with some of the biggest names in the game and when Jessie hits the road at our shows.

“Not only will we hear from current World champions like Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez and Julio Cesar Martinez, but it is also a brilliant opportunity to introduce our young fighters like Diego Pacheco, Alexis Espino and Marc Castro to a new audience.”