Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Forfeits $1 Million After Missing Weight For Upcoming Bout

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. came into weigh-ins five pounds overweight Tuesday forcing him to lose $1 million of his $3 million purse ahead of Friday’s fight against fellow super middleweight, Daniel Jacobs. The fight’s contract stipulated that both fighters hit the scale at 168 lbs. Jacobs weighed in at 167.8, while the former Mexican champion was overweight at 172.7 lbs.

Chavez Jr. had been under a court-ordered temporary restraining order after refusing a random drug test in October. In lieu of the situation, Jacob’s manager, Keith Connolly, urged the fight’s promoter, Eddie Hearn to find a replacement. Gabriel Rosado was then selected to step in for the Mexican fighter until the Nevada State Athletic Commission lifted the suspension Tuesday. Rosado will fight on the under card.

Upon learning of the court’s decision, Hearn was happy the fight was going to happen, but also joked “unless he flunks weight.” This was in reference to Chavez Jr.’s history of coming onto the scale overweight, which has happened twice before. “I guess we can’t be too shocked by it, but I am not too disappointed because I know [Chavez] put the work in. I genuinely don’t think he can make 168 anymore. He can earn his redemption in the ring if he shows enough heart for the 10,000-plus fans. He is in shape, but so is Danny, who feels amazing up at 168,” Hearn told ESPN.

Jacobs could have resorted to fighting Rosado because of the weight stipulation in the fight’s contract, but his camp preferred he’d fight someone with a bigger name. When asked about Chavez Jr.’s blunder, Connolly told ESPN, “It doesn’t bother us at all. Danny’s still gonna beat his ass.”

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Chavez Jr. is the son of legendary boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., who is a former champion that held title belts in three weight classes and finished his career in 2005 with a incredible record of 107-6. Because of the many Mexican-American fans in Phoenix, Hearn was satisfied with keeping Chavez Jr. in the bout. “He [Chavez] sold twice as many tickets as Terence Crawford, who is a pound-for-pound top star. So if he can put in a performance that makes the Mexican people go, ‘Fair play to you.’ That could be his redemption. If he wins, f– me. He’s actually cracked it. A redemption can just come from a solid performance,” said Hearn.

The fight will air on DAZN at 9 pm Friday night.

Article by Frank DeLorenzo