Jesus Chavez ready for ‘risky’ fight

Dean Juipe

Thursday, March 20, 2003 | 9:36 a.m.

Ranked as the mandatory challenger by the World Boxing Council at 130 pounds, Jesus Chavez comes into his fight Saturday with Carlos Gerena at Mandalay Bay in a position where he has little to win and a great deal to lose.

In terms of the rankings, a victory can't help Chavez but a loss could be devastating.

"I know, I've got nothing to gain," he said. "But I want to fight and this is a perfect opportunity to let people know how serious I am."

Chavez, 38-2, does have a personal incentive for taking the bout: Gerena has beaten him, albeit early in each man's career.

"It was a split decision in San Antonio where the Texas judge gave me seven (of the eight) rounds and two Puerto Rican judges gave the fight to him," Chavez said, implying he felt he was the victim of bias. "I took the loss the best that I could.

"I'm ready to fight him again -- I want to face the issue."

Gerena, 38-4, is the third man Chavez has had to prepare to fight this week, as two other previously announced opponents -- including Jorge Paez -- fell out.

"I wasn't sure how to take it," Chavez said of the scenario that led him to Gerena. "But I snapped out of it. Gerena is strong and dangerous, and if I didn't agree to fight him they probably weren't going to come up with somebody who's any easier.

"I know it's going to be a harder fight than having to face Paez, but I'm more than ready. I'm stronger than ever."

Gerena suggests he's ready for the challenge.

"I'm sure Chavez remembers the loss I gave him," he said, "and that will make him even more dangerous."

The winner of the fight, particularly if it's Chavez, inches a little closer to a fight with WBC champion Sirimongkol Singmanassuk of Thailand.

Also scheduled on the Mandalay Bay card: Julio Diaz, 26-2, vs. Ernesto Zepeda, 32-6-3, 10 rounds, lightweights; Miguel Barrera, 19-0-2, vs. Roberto Levya, 21-1-1, 12 rounds for Barrera's IBF strawweight title; Dmitriy Salita, 11-0, vs. Joey Bartole, 8-2, six rounds, junior welterweights; and middleweight Kelly Pavlik, 16-0, and junior welterweight Agnieszka Rylik, 13-0, vs. opponents yet to be determined. First bell is 6:30 p.m.