Chavez eager to escape legendary father’s shadow

Tired of the comparisons to his legendary father. Tired of being denigrated for having grown up amid privilege and affluence. Tired of the accusations he’s lazy and difficult to work with. And, most of all, tired of Sergio Martinez running his mouth about him.

The 26-year-old Chavez can make virtually all of it go away with an impressive victory over Martinez tonight at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Not only would a win allow Chavez (46-0-1, 32 knockouts) to retain his WBC middleweight title for the fourth time, it probably would allow him to step out from the shadow of his father once and for all and build upon his own legacy as a great fighter.

“I think when you are being compared every single day of your life to a legend, people are going to say you’re not hungry,” Chavez said this week. “It makes you hungry, and I’m very hungry.

“I don’t think about what people say about being in my father’s shadow. I just want to perform well and make my fans happy.”

Chavez said his relationship with his father, Julio Sr., is as good as it ever has been.

“Right now, our relationship can withstand disagreements,” he said. “We can argue, but we can still get along.”

That wasn’t always the case. Two years ago, Julio Sr. was battling the demons stemming from his addiction to drugs and alcohol. He found himself in a hospital in Tijuana, Mexico, during the summer of 2010 and eventually landed in rehabilitation.

“It’s a horrible experience to go through something like that,” Chavez Jr. said. “It’s torture to see someone you love go through that. You get frustrated watching that.”

But Julio Sr. did the rehab and has remained sober and drug-free. He will be among the sellout crowd of 19,186 tonight at the Thomas & Mack to watch his son try to take the biggest step in his career.

“To me, it’s like a dream to get to this level – a championship-level fighter,” Chavez Jr. said. “I knew I’d have to work really hard to get there, and now that I’m here, I’m working harder to stay here.”

Chavez expects a tough fight from the 37-year-old Martinez (49-2-2, 28 KOs), a former WBC middleweight champion.

“We can’t let this guy think,” Chavez said. “We have to stay on top of him all night long. I will have to box him more.

“I’m not intimidated by his name. Or his big mouth. He’s just a big clown, and I’m going to shut his mouth once and for all.”

One thing the Chavez family shares is a passion for boxing. Julio Jr. had been attending his father’s fights since he was 2 years old, and over time as a pro he has developed a warrior’s mentality.

“I’m addicted to boxing,” he said. “I watch fights all day long. I can’t get enough of it.

“When I’m in the ring, I feel like I’m a soldier. As a soldier, you’re willing to die in any war. I’m willing to die to win this fight.”

Unlike previous fights, Chavez didn’t have to torture himself to make weight for Martinez. He came in light at Friday’s weigh-in, weighing 158 pounds to Martinez’s 159 for the 160-pound bout. Chavez said he has learned how to eat sensibly and control his diet properly, allowing him to take off the weight gradually rather than in a rush as in the past.

“I am in great shape for this fight,” he said. “Everyone was questioning my preparation (for Martinez). But I know my body, and I knew what I needed to do to get ready.

“I don’t like to lose. That’s the bottom line. I don’t train to lose. Every time I go into the ring, I give it my all.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.