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Both of these men have a common opponent, which neither of them managed to defeat: Erik Morales. After earning their respective world titles, Chavez and Hernandez ran into Morales, who promptly took their championships away, and it is for one of those titles, the WBC super featherweight championship, that both men fight for the right to contest again when they meet this week. Of the seven professional losses shared between them, only one stands as a knockout, that of Chavez’s ninth round destruction at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. Notably, in fifteen years as a professional fighter, El Salvador’s Hernandez has never been stopped. Whomever of the two emerges in victory, they have another odyssey to face as Marco Antonio Barrera remains as the WBC super featherweight champion. This is a fight of real championship pedigree, and SaddoBoxing.com cannot neglect to give it the coverage it deserves. With that in mind, check in with the SaddoBoxing.com writers to see whom they think can take a place as the WBC number one contender for Barrera’s crown.
Matt Cotterell: I’m picking Chavez to win this one by decision. In his bout with Morales, he made a good start until he became hampered by injury (rotator cuff) and he feels that he has some unfinished business with “El Terrible.” I think his need to prove a point will drive him to victory in what looks like a very even match.
Shaun Rico LaWhorn: Carlos Hernandez ( 41-4-1, 24 KOs) will enter the ring against Jesus Chavez (40-3, 28 KOs) and this fight will be a fan’s favorite. You have two warriors with a solid past. Hernandez and Chavez both share a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., so with this sort of fight, you will see the same competitive and relentless pressure you saw while watching them fight Mayweather Jr. Hernandez is the type of boxer that will endure punishment, yet stay in a match with confidence and hunger. Chavez has his moments of showing his boxing skills, but, when the pressure is pounding down on him, he will fall. This fight has the possibility to be a TKO on either end, yet the more logical side of me, has this match going to the scorecards. A battle until the end, war wounds, blood, and fatigue will be evident when the scores are announced and Hernandez hand is raised as the winner on all three judges’ scorecards with a unanimous decision.
James MacDonald: Carlos Hernandez-Jesus Chavez is an extremely tough fight to call, if for no other reason than the fact that these guys are almost a carbon copy of each other. Indeed, you would be forgiven for getting them mixed up on occasion. That being said, I believe Hernandez to be the slightly superior clone. I give him the edge in the chin and power department. Style-wise it should make for a tremendous fight. I just feel Hernandez has the slight edge. Hernandez by unanimous decision.
Lee Bellfield: Both men have proved that they still have a lot to offer after gutsy displays against Erik Morales. I think Chavez is the fresher fighter and will take a decision.
Richard Eberline: Carlos Hernandez and Jesus Chavez square off in what promises to be an evenly matched contest, at least on paper, in an eliminator for the WBC super featherweight title. Chavez has been out for a year-and-a-half, ever since putting on one of the best one-handed (due to injury) performances you will ever see in a losing effort against Erik Morales. Hernandez has been a bit more active, winning a decision against Juan Carlos Ramirez last December, but the El Salvadoran was the only world class fighter not to stop “El Ranchero” in the last five years. Lack of punching power is something that both Hernandez and Chavez have in common. One other commonality they share is that they both lost to Floyd Mayweather and Erik Morales.
That’s it in a nutshell as far as their collective prospects past this fight seem to be concerned. Marco Antonio Barrera holds the WBC title that Hernandez and Chavez will be struggling to become the number one contender for and would be a heavy favorite to beat either. Going back to the bout itself, I’ll go with Jesus Chavez to post a close unanimous decision victory over Carlos Hernandez due mostly to the edge in work-rate and stamina that the Mexican – American will likely show.
Jim Cawkwell: I think this fight will steal the show in terms of competitiveness if not for brute force, the honor of which will likely go to Rafael Marquez. I feel that Hernandez, while obviously lacking in power, has the physical toughness to see of Chavez in a long-distance fight. I will take Hernandez here by a close decision.
Jim Cawkwell can be reached at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk
