Why Julio Cesar Chavez regretted fighting with Oscar de la Hoya

One of the most painful defeats that Julio Cesar Chavez experienced in his career as a professional boxer was against Oscar de la Hoya, because by technical knockout the boxing Cesar could not continue the fight and experienced what was his second defeat in his career.

That event of June 7, 1996 marked the decline of the great Mexican champion and triggered a series of negative reactions for Julio up the ring. Recently Chavez Gonzalez revealed the reason why he regretted fighting with the Golden Boy.

In an interview with Erik El Terrible Morales for the podcast Un Round Más, he talked about what he experienced before going into the ring to face De la Hoya. Julio narrated that during a training five days after the fight he suffered a cut on his eyebrow.

“There were five days left before the fight and the last round in the sparring the most pend*** was the one that cut me off and I didn't want to cancel the fight because the doctor told me 'we're going to cauterize the wound' and I believed it, the truth is, but I think God punished me there,” said the former Mexican boxer.

But for the Caesar of boxing the injury was not serious and he preferred to continue the fight. Over the years and 25 years of the fight, he regretted his decision because he let down the Mexican public who trusted him.

Aware of the million-dollar bets in boxing, Julius Caesar regretted that his disbelief hurt others who believed that he would win. He knew that because of his injury he was obliged to postpone the fight, but he preferred to move on, but he only sealed his defeat, which was plagued by a heartbreaking image.

The fight lasted only four rounds because the Mexican-American boxer's fists were strong enough to open the wound that days earlier had been inflicted on his face. Due to the area where the cut and body work were located, Julius Caesar's face was filled with blood that alarmed the public.

A right hand caused Julius Caesar's eyebrow to start bleeding. Although Chavez's corner controlled the bleeding momentarily, the blows led to Julio's face being painted red, so the referee chose to stop the fight and decree technical knockout in favor of Oscar de la Hoya.

The current sports commentator for Box Azteca felt he might have had a chance to beat De la Hoya, but blamed the wound for not allowing him greater potential above the ring that night in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He recalled that his preparation had been arduous and he considered that “if they hadn't cut me off in training I think I would have won, because I think I was still in good shape, I was at my weight, I had prepared myself like never before for that fight”

Not satisfied with the outcome of the first fight, Julio Cesar challenged Oscar de la Hoya in a second match in September 1998, but fell again to the Golden Boy, this time retired in 8 rounds.

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