GUADALAJARA, Mexico – MMA Junkie is on the scene and reporting live from tonight’s Tribute to the Kings: Anderson Silva vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing event. Silva, a former UFC middleweight champion, makes his return to boxing, as he takes on …
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – MMA Junkie is on the scene and reporting live from tonight’s Tribute to the Kings: [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.[/autotag] boxing event.
Silva, a former UFC middleweight champion, makes his return to boxing, as he takes on Chavez Jr. in a professional, eight-round boxing bout in the main event of Tribute to the Kings.
Tribute to the Kings goes down on Saturday, June 19 at Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara. The pay-per-view main card is set to go live at 9:00 p.m. ET on FITE, while the undercard will stream at 7:00 p.m. ET also FITE and beIN Sports.
Silva vs. Chavez Jr. was contracted for 182 pounds, but unfortunately, Chavez Jr. missed weight, recording a weight of 184.4 pounds. The bout still goes on, but Chavez Jr. will forfeit $100k of his purse to Silva for the weight miss.
In the co-main event of the card, the legendary Mexican boxer [autotag]Julio Cesar Chavez[/autotag] Sr. fights former rival’s son [autotag]Hector Camacho Jr.[/autotag]. The bout is a four-round exhibition. It’s set to be Chavez Sr.’s last performance in the boxing ring.
The pay-per-view main card also features a trilogy fight between Chavez Sr.’s youngest son [autotag]Omar Chavez[/autotag] taking on Canelo Alvarez’s brother [autotag]Ramon Alvarez[/autotag].
Keep it locked here for fight results as they happen, as well as live behind-the-scenes updates from Jalisco Stadium.
Watch Anderson Silva weigh-in ahead of his June 19 boxing clash against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s Tribute to the Kings ceremonial weigh-ins.
The early, official weigh-ins took place at the Tribute to the Kings host hotel in Guadalajara were preceded by the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 3 p.m. ET at Teatro Degollado.
Tribute to the Kings goes down on Saturday, June 19 at Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara. The pay-per-view main card is set to go live at 9:00 p.m. ET, while the undercard will stream at 7:00 p.m. ET on FITE and beIN Sports.
In the main event of the card, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] returns to the boxing ring in almost 16 years, as he’s set to take on [autotag]Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.[/autotag] in an eight-round, 180-pound contest.
The co-main event features the legendary Mexican boxer[autotag] Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.[/autotag] who fights former rival’s son [autotag]Hector Camacho Jr.[/autotag] The bout is a four-round exhibition. It’s set to be Chavez Sr.’s last performance in the boxing ring.
The pay-per-view main card also features a trilogy fight between Chavez Sr.’s youngest son [autotag]Omar Chavez[/autotag] taking on Canelo Alvarez’s brother [autotag]Ramon Alvarez[/autotag].
The full Tribute to the Kings weigh-in results include:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 9 p.m. ET)
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (184.4) vs. Anderson Silva (182)
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. () vs. Hector Camacho Jr. ()
Omar Chavez (161) vs. Ramon Alvarez (160)
Kevin Torres (138.4)vs. Jorge Luis Melendez (137.8)
Erislandy Lara, 37, dismissed the notion that he has lost something on his fastball and still has big plans.
Erislandy Lara is at the point of his career – he’s 37 now – when those who have followed his long, successful journey begin to discuss his legacy as one of the best Cuban-born fighters of all time.
Lara himself isn’t ready to go there, though. Still has more to accomplish, he said.
The oh-so-crafty southpaw returns to the ring after a one-year hiatus on Saturday, when he’s scheduled to face second-tier opponent Greg Vendetti behind closed doors at Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on FOX.
Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) is coming off a second-round knockout of Ramon Alvarez, the brother of Canelo, in August of last year. However, that followed a split-decision loss to Jarret Hurd and a hard-fought split draw with Brian Carlos Castano, which have led some to believe that Lara is slowing down.
Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs) is among them.
“I’ve approached this fight like I’m getting the best version of Lara that’s ever existed,” he said on a conference call. “I’m not taking him lightly at all. But if you look at his performances as of late, it’s not the same Lara you saw against [Alfredo] Angulo and Canelo [Alvarez] years ago.
“The agility is not there as much. It almost seems like he’s doing just enough to try to win these fights and not really going the extra mile to dominate.”
Erislandy Lara (right) and Brian Carlos Castano fought to a draw in March of 2019. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Lara’s response to that notion? Not so.
The one-time amateur star, whose style has always been effective but never particularly pleasing, has said that entertaining fans will be a priority as long as he continues to fight. Some take that to mean he has no choice but to engage because he can’t move as he once did.
And he told BoxingScene.com that, “At my age, I have to pace myself more.”
Still, when asked directly whether he has lost a step, he said in so many words that he can do everything he has always been able to do in the ring. And the disappointments against Hurd and Castano had no impact on his confidence.
“I feel better than ever,” he said through a translator. “I’ve been working hard, I’m staying in great shape. I feel better than I did a couple of years ago. I couldn’t be feeling better. I’m ready to go fight Saturday.
“… I never lost confidence, if that’s what you’re thinking. Regardless of any circumstances after the Canelo fight or the Jarrett Hurd fight, I always believe in my abilities in the ring. That belief is still very strong. I’m willing and able to fight anyone in the division at any time.”
That attitude isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Lara said he’ll know when it’s time to walk away and that time isn’t near.
Lara needed less than two rounds to stop Ramon Alvarez in August of last year. Stephanie Trapp / TGB Promotions
And the former junior middleweight titleholder, who lost his belt to Hurd, is still thinking big. His goal is to become the undisputed 154-pound champion and has no doubt he can get there. That’s his focus, his passion, not the thought of moving on.
“It’s really about how I feel,” he said about retirment. “And I feel that I can still do a lot of winning, that I can have a lot of success. I haven’t set any time frames for myself. When I have the feeling I’m not the same, that training is a drag, if some up-and-coming youngster got the best me, it would be time consider it.
“Right now that’s not on my mind.”
In other words, he added, “I still have a lot to accomplish. I still want to bolster my standing as one of the best Cuban fighters.”
Erislandy Lara, 37, dismissed the notion that he has lost something on his fastball and still has big plans.
Erislandy Lara is at the point of his career – he’s 37 now – when those who have followed his long, successful journey begin to discuss his legacy as one of the best Cuban-born fighters of all time.
Lara himself isn’t ready to go there, though. Still has more to accomplish, he said.
The oh-so-crafty southpaw returns to the ring after a one-year hiatus on Saturday, when he’s scheduled to face second-tier opponent Greg Vendetti behind closed doors at Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles on FOX.
Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) is coming off a second-round knockout of Ramon Alvarez, the brother of Canelo, in August of last year. However, that followed a split-decision loss to Jarret Hurd and a hard-fought split draw with Brian Carlos Castano, which have led some to believe that Lara is slowing down.
Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs) is among them.
“I’ve approached this fight like I’m getting the best version of Lara that’s ever existed,” he said on a conference call. “I’m not taking him lightly at all. But if you look at his performances as of late, it’s not the same Lara you saw against [Alfredo] Angulo and Canelo [Alvarez] years ago.
“The agility is not there as much. It almost seems like he’s doing just enough to try to win these fights and not really going the extra mile to dominate.”
Erislandy Lara (right) and Brian Carlos Castano fought to a draw in March of 2019. AP Photo / Frank Franklin II
Lara’s response to that notion? Not so.
The one-time amateur star, whose style has always been effective but never particularly pleasing, has said that entertaining fans will be a priority as long as he continues to fight. Some take that to mean he has no choice but to engage because he can’t move as he once did.
And he told BoxingScene.com that, “At my age, I have to pace myself more.”
Still, when asked directly whether he has lost a step, he said in so many words that he can do everything he has always been able to do in the ring. And the disappointments against Hurd and Castano had no impact on his confidence.
“I feel better than ever,” he said through a translator. “I’ve been working hard, I’m staying in great shape. I feel better than I did a couple of years ago. I couldn’t be feeling better. I’m ready to go fight Saturday.
“… I never lost confidence, if that’s what you’re thinking. Regardless of any circumstances after the Canelo fight or the Jarrett Hurd fight, I always believe in my abilities in the ring. That belief is still very strong. I’m willing and able to fight anyone in the division at any time.”
That attitude isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Lara said he’ll know when it’s time to walk away and that time isn’t near.
Lara needed less than two rounds to stop Ramon Alvarez in August of last year. Stephanie Trapp / TGB Promotions
And the former junior middleweight titleholder, who lost his belt to Hurd, is still thinking big. His goal is to become the undisputed 154-pound champion and has no doubt he can get there. That’s his focus, his passion, not the thought of moving on.
“It’s really about how I feel,” he said about retirment. “And I feel that I can still do a lot of winning, that I can have a lot of success. I haven’t set any time frames for myself. When I have the feeling I’m not the same, that training is a drag, if some up-and-coming youngster got the best me, it would be time consider it.
“Right now that’s not on my mind.”
In other words, he added, “I still have a lot to accomplish. I still want to bolster my standing as one of the best Cuban fighters.”
Former junior middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara will headline the Aug. 29 Showtime card from Los Angeles. No opponent has selected.
Former junior middleweight titleholder Erislandy Lara will headline the Aug. 29 Showtime card from Los Angeles, according to The Athletic. No opponent has selected.
The 37-year-old Cuban hasn’t fought since he stopped Ramon Alvarez – Canelo’s brother – in two rounds on Aug. 31 of last year.
That was Lara’s first victory since he lost a split decision to Jarret Hurd in April 2018, costing him his 154-pound title, and drew with Brian Castano the following March.
Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) seems to have retained much of his ability in his late 30s. Ismael Salas, his trainer, believes his protege has the skill set and discipline to extend his career into his 40s.
“I have spoken a lot with Lara and we have agreed that if he does what is necessary and takes care of himself as he should, there will be no problem for him to extend his sports life for a longer period of time,” Salas was quoted as saying by BoxingScene.com.
“He is now 37 years old, but he is not a beaten boxer nor has he led a complicated life. He can be like [Bernard] Hopkins.”
Salas said Lara has remained in good shape the past year.
“Lara has had an impressive camp,” he said. “The first camp was good, but this second one has impressed me. Lara is a veteran, he’s almost a teacher. You have to take great care of veteran boxers and regulate the intensity of the camps a lot. Lara has a lot to give in the ring, but he must be very smart.
“I think he understands that. The best thing for him would be to fight once a season, so we will have Lara around for a long time.”
