Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. again fails to make weight; settles financially with Marcos Reyes

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. knew it was going to be close.

The son of the Mexican boxing legend stripped bare before stepping onto those unforgiving scales Friday afternoon. And, once again, weight became an issue for him. The scales read 170.8 pounds.

Chavez Jr. will face Marcos Reyes, who weighed in at 168.4 pounds Friday, in a 10-round tester Saturday night in the Don Haskins Center. The fight was supposed to be a super middleweight affair at 168 pounds. But, since it is a non-title fight, the two agreed that 169 would be OK. Then they upped the ante to 170 pounds.

Chavez Jr. still did not make it. Rather than try to sweat off nearly a pound on a hot Friday afternoon in the desert of El Paso, Chavez Jr. and his camp reached a financial settlement with Reyes.

And now, finally, they are ready to fight.

It will be a huge fight day - and night. Eight fights in the day card, nine fights in the evening. They were all there Friday afternoon, all 34 fighters … all 34 dreams. Of course, boxing is the most cruel, most unforgiving of sports. There are hundreds of broken hearts for every one of those dreams that come true.

But each of those fighters will make the exhilarating, breath swiping ring walk, each will step into that squared off jungle that is a boxing ring to chase those dreams today and tonight.

Undefeated Irish sensation Carl Frampton, 20-0 with 14 knockouts, will make his U.S. debut against Mexico's Alejandro Gonzalez, 25-1-2 with 15 early endings, in a junior featherweight duel that will be the CBS afternoon main event. Also on that telecast will be heavyweights Chis Arreola, 36-4 (31 KOs) against Cameroon's Frederic Kassi, 18-3 (10 KOs).

Chavez-Reyes will be the main event on Showtime in the evening session. Also on that telecast will be young sensation Amir Imam from Davie, Fla., 17-0 with 14 KOs, against veteran Fernando Angulo of Ecuador, 28-9 (16) in a WBC super lightweight title eliminator and an IBF junior bantamweight world title dance between McJoe Arroyo of Puerto Rico, 16-0 (8) and Arthur Villanueva from the Philippines, 27-0 (14).

It is a fight fan's dream. But, as always, the spotlight will shine brightest on Chavez Jr.

Chavez Jr., from Culiacan, Mexico, comes in at 48-2-1 with 32 knockouts. Reyes, who is from Chihuahua in Mexico, is 33-2 with 24 knockouts.

Reyes, who is trying to capitalize on a huge opportunity, said, "Something magical happens when two Mexican fighters get in the ring."

Chavez Jr., 29, can no longer make 160 pounds, where he reigned as the WBC mddleweight champion of the world. He tried light heavyweight, going up to 172 for his disaster against Andrzej Fonfara last April, a decision that left Chavez Jr. sitting on his stool, soundly defeated, after nine rounds.

Now he is hoping to campaign at 168 pounds and now he has a new trainer in Robert Garcia.

"I've recovered my level again," Chavez Jr. said. "Too much time out of boxing. My camp with Robert was very good. I learned some new things."

Garcia said, "We had a great training camp. Julio followed instructions, did everything he was supposed to do, did everything I asked him to do."

Chavez Jr. overpowered fighters at 160 pounds. He says he will dance to a different beat at 168 … or 170.8.

"My body has responded well," Chavez Jr. said. "I'll use my jab and I'll use my legs more. I've been winning with my old style. I've won 48 fights, only lost two. No need to change completely. But some change is better. Not so much in the pocket … not get hit so much … use the jab."

This is a chance for Chavez Jr. to get back to his winning ways. And this is a huge opportunity for Frampton, who is wildly popular in Ireland and England. It is his first dip into the U.S. market and he knows this is where the big fights - and, subsequently, the big paydays - await.

"It's a great opportunity for me," Frampton said. "My first fight in America. He (Gonzalez) is a good fighter. He is young and brave and he is coming to win. It's up to me not to let that happen. This is just a huge platform for me."

Both fighters weighed in just under the 122-pound junior featherweight limit Friday - Frampton at 121.6, Gonzalez at 121.4.

Arreola is a forever entertaining heavyweight. The big Californian has been on the doorstep of heavyweight greatness, always owning that big right hand that is the best of bedtime stories … putting 31 of his 40 opponents to sleep early. His only losses have come against the division's elite - Vitali Klitschko, Tomasz Adamek and Bermaine Stiverne twice.

"I'm just excited to be fighting," Arreola said. "I love boxing. Me and Fred … we are going to do it on Saturday."

The 6-foot-3 Arreola weighed in at a solid 246.8 and the 6-0 Kassi weighed 225.

Shrugging, Arreola said, "I'm a heavyweight. Stop worrying about my weight. Worry about my performance."

But weight was the topic of the day Friday … especially the 170.8 pounds from Chavez Jr.

Today and tonight, though, there will be no thoughts of scales and weights; just lefts and rights and wins and losses and dreams elevated and dreams derailed.

Bill Knight may be reached at bknight@elpasotimes.com and on Twitter at @BillKnightept