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Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Andy Lee - Still major players 13 years after their world title clash
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Andy Lee will both be prominent figures in the fight game this summer.
13 years ago, this month, heroes of Mexico and Ireland, famed fighting nations, went at it with the WBC middleweight title on the line.
Chavez Jr, the son of a legendary star whose name he had taken, was aiming to make it on his own despite the heritage he possessed. He had impressed in several fights on his way to the top, but the public did not love him the way they adored his father, but that would not prevent him from hitting the summit of the 160lbs division despite consistent unfair comparisons.
For Lee, his rise had been a more traditional one not reliant on his surname. An amateur standout in his homeland, Lee represented Ireland at the 2004 Olympics, and despite not finishing amongst the medals many had predicted beforehand, he had done enough to convince people he could make a smooth transition to the professional code.
Lee was off to the States, Detroit to be exact, and after impressing the great Emanuel Steward in some early sparring sessions, Lee was the latest member of the Kronk, and he had one of boxing’s most astute minds guiding his career.
That tutelage took him all the way to a world title shot against Chavez Jr in 2012 but after making a good start in the fight, Lee was overwhelmed before suffering his second loss as a professional with a seventh-round stoppage.
For Chavez Jr, that night, unknown to everyone, was perhaps the pinnacle of his career. A defeat to Sergio Martinez the following year was the platform for frequent spells of inactivity and that was followed by a shocking setback against Andrzej Fonfara in 2015.
Losses to Canelo Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs, both elite operators, were expected when Chavez did manage to work his way back into contention, but 2021 brought an altogether different defeat when he was outworked, then outpointed, by Anderson Silva. A faded UFC veteran with minimal boxing experience.
For Lee, his response to the Chavez Jr hammering was a positive one. Rebounding with numerous victories, Lee, now trained by Adam Booth, was in a good place and that was proven when he caused a small upset by weathering an incredible storm against John Jackson before finding an incredible shot to end matters in the fifth round.
That opened the door for a world title shot against Matvey Korobov, a feared puncher from Eastern Europe who had long been earmarked for superstardom. Lee’s power was once again evident and with confidence installed in him by Booth, he became world champion with another stoppage victory.
An eventual loss to Billy Joe Saunders in 2015 brought Lee’s brief, but entertaining run, to an end, and with a comeback fight two years later unable to relight the fires inside the Irishman, Lee slowly drifted into retirement before resurfacing as a trainer.
Today, Lee is responsible for rejuvenating the fortunes of Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker, and he also has a number of potential world champions on his books with Hamzah Sheeraz and Ben Whittaker both receiving wisdom from Lee the trainer.
The summer of 2025 could be one of immense prosperity for both Chavez Jr and Lee. Chavez Jr faces Jake Paul this weekend knowing that a rediscovery of his world class form could land him bigger opportunities down the line. For Lee, it is Sheeraz against Edgar Berlanga on the big stage in July before a possible world title shot for Parker.
This period of the year in 2012 was the pinnacle of Chavez Jr’s career whilst the same time also looked like it could all be over for Lee as a top-level contender. Today, the former rivals, two men who delivered a superb fight, could be about to shine in the unlikeliest of spotlights when that appeared to be a distant possibility just a few years ago.
Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will be streamed exclusively on DAZN PPV, this Saturday, June 28. Buy the PPV now here
