Remembering Julio Cesar Chavez

Probably the greatest fighter that Mexico has ever produced, Julio Cesar Chavez is also one of the world's best boxers.He was undefeated in his first 90 professional fights. Perhaps an even more awesome part of this extra-ordinary feat was that most of these wins (79 to be exact) did not go the distance. In the current list of greatest fighters, Chavez ranks third in terms of highest knock out rate. Only Mike Tyson (first) and Shane Mosley (second) had outperformed him in this category.In that remarkable stretch he would eventually collect world titles in 3 different weight divisions-super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight. He held these titles for a combined period of more than 11 years.Most notable among the opponents who bowed to him included Rocky Lockridge, Edwin Rosario, Jose Luis Ramirez (who had a 101-6-0 win-loss-draw record when they met), Roger Mayweather (twice, both TKO wins for Chavez), Alberto Cortes (undefeated in 44 fights), Angel Hernande z (undefeated in 37 fights), Frankie Mitchell (29-1-0), Hector Camacho (only one defeat in 42 fights), Marty Jakubowski (undefeated in 37 fights), and Andy Holligan (no loss in 21 fights).One of the most dramatic and unforgettable fights in boxing history pitted Chavez against Meldrick Taylor on March 17, 1990. It was a slam-bang contest. Chavez, in his signature non-stop, action-packed attacking style, tried to engage Taylor in a close-range fighting all throughout. But the unexpectedly game and unintimidated Taylor chose to box him, unloading shots with precision even as he was busy taking cover. He was leading Chavez on the judges' scorecards going to the final seconds of the fight. Most boxing fans who saw it conceded that Chavez was on his way to being beaten for the first time. But the Mexican showed his fighting heart to the end, until a fierce exchange of gloves in the closing seconds (something which Taylor could have avoided and run away with the win) hurt Taylor b adly that the referee had to stop the fight and declare Chavez the winner by TKO.His first loss came at his 92nd fight, a split decision setback to Frankie Randall on January 24, 1994. He quickly avenged that loss, however, when he upended Randall in 8 rounds in a rematch 4 months later. His longest reign was at light welterweight, from 1989 to 1996. Earlier, he was super featherweight champion from 1984 to 1987; and lightweight champion from 1987 to 1989.Chavez started to uncharacteristically suffer losses in 1996 onwards until 2005, when he retired at age 43. Devastating losses to Oscar De La Hoya (twice, by TKO), Kostya Tszyu and Grover Wiley forced an otherwise reluctant slide to retirement.Chavez had a career record of 107 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws out of 115 total fights, for an exceptional 93 percent winning percentage. Of the 5 opponents who defeated him, all were beaten in rematches (except De La Hoya; and there was no rematch against Kostya Tszyu). One can say to day that Chavez in effect lost only twice in 115 ring battles, and get away with it unchallenged.