It was supposed to be the Civil War of Mexican boxing. On May 6, 2017, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was vibrating. You could feel the tension in the air, a thick mix of tequila-fueled hope and genuine, old-school rivalry. On one side, you had Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the golden boy with the red hair and the calculated, clinical power. On the other, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the son of the greatest legend Mexico ever produced.
People expected blood. They expected a phone-booth war. Instead, they got a masterclass in one-sided dominance that basically ended one career while launching the other into the stratosphere. Honestly, if you rewatch it today, it’s almost uncomfortable.
The 164.5-Pound Catchweight Trap
A lot of folks forget the drama started long before the first bell. The weight was the story. Chavez Jr. was a natural light heavyweight at that point, having struggled with discipline for years. Canelo’s team, led by Eddy Reynoso, was smart. They demanded a 164.5-pound catchweight.
It was a weight Chavez hadn't seen in five years.
If Chavez missed weight? A million-dollar-per-pound penalty. That’s enough to make anyone skip lunch. By the time he hit the scales, Chavez looked like a ghost. He made the weight, sure, but he left his soul in the sauna. You’ve seen fighters look "drained" before, but this was different. He was a shell.
120-108: A Shutout for the Ages
When the fight actually started, the physical difference was jarring. Chavez was taller. He had the reach. But he was stuck in mud.
Canelo didn't just win rounds; he took Chavez’s dignity. According to CompuBox, Canelo landed 228 punches to Chavez's measly 71. Think about that for a second. Over 12 rounds, a former world champion landed fewer than six punches a round. It was target practice.
- Round 1-4: Canelo established the jab. Chavez stood there.
- Round 5: The "beatdown" truly began. Canelo landed 102 punches by the end of this frame. Chavez? 25.
- The Middle Rounds: Canelo actually backed himself onto the ropes, inviting Chavez to hit him. Chavez just stared. He was terrified of the counter.
- The Finish: There wasn't one. Canelo coasted to a 120-108 victory on all three judges' cards.
The crowd started booing by the tenth round. Not at Canelo, but at the lack of a fight. They didn't come to see a sparring session; they came for a war. Chavez Jr. later complained that the weight cut left him "dwindled." No kidding.
Why Canelo Alvarez vs Chavez Jr Still Matters
You might wonder why we still talk about this blowout. It's because of what happened ten minutes after the fight ended.
While Chavez was still trying to figure out where he was, Gennady "GGG" Golovkin walked into the ring. The lights dimmed, the music changed, and the "Triple G" era officially collided with Canelo's. The Chavez fight was essentially a high-priced commercial for the GGG trilogy.
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It also settled the debate in Mexico. Before this fight, there was still a vocal group of fans who thought "Junior" was the true heir to the Mexican throne because of his lineage. After May 6, that talk died forever. Canelo proved he wasn't just a "promoted" star; he was a shark.
The Aftermath: Two Very Different Paths
Since that night, the trajectories of these two men couldn't be more opposite.
Canelo Alvarez went on to become the undisputed king of the super middleweights. He took on Bivol, Plant, Saunders, and Kovalev. He became the face of the sport. He’s a billionaire-adjacent athlete who dictates the entire boxing calendar.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.? It's been rough. He’s dealt with legal issues, including a high-profile arrest in early 2024, and struggled with substance abuse. He even fought MMA legend Anderson Silva in a boxing match and lost. It's a sad "what if" story for a guy who once held the WBC middleweight title.
What You Can Learn from the "Mexican Showdown"
If you’re a boxing student, this fight is a perfect study in ring generalship. Canelo didn't just out-punch Chavez; he out-thought him. He used feints to freeze a bigger man. He used lateral movement to keep Chavez from ever setting his feet.
For fans, the takeaway is about the "Catchweight Era." We learned that forcing a fighter to drop too much weight often ruins the spectacle. A drained fighter can't provide the "Greatest Hits" fans pay for.
Your Boxing Watchlist
If you want to see the evolution of the modern Mexican style, do this:
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- Watch Canelo vs. Trout (to see his early defense).
- Watch Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. (to see his clinical pressure).
- Watch Canelo vs. GGG 2 (to see him finally stand his ground).
The Chavez Jr. fight wasn't the most exciting night in boxing history, but it was the most necessary one for Canelo's legacy. It cleared the deck so he could become the legend he is today.
Next Steps for Fans: Check out the official CompuBox breakdown of the power punch percentages from this fight. You'll see that Canelo landed nearly 47% of his power shots—an absurdly high number for a championship-level bout. If you're looking for a more competitive scrap, go back and watch the first Canelo-Golovkin fight which took place just months after this Vegas shutout.