Boxing: Like father like son

SAN ANTONIO– Unbeaten boxing champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. hopes to go one step further than his legendary fighting father by winning a world title fight at the San Antonio Alamodome.

The 26-year-old World Boxing Council champion will take on Marco Antonio Rubio in a middleweight title fight Saturday.

It is the same venue where Chavez’s father fought to a 12-round draw with Pernell Whitaker in 1993. Julio Cesar Sr. is not only a former six-time world champ but is considered the greatest fighter to ever come out of Mexico.

But Julio Cesar Jr. isn’t trying to emulate senior Chavez. His immediate concern is holding onto his title by beating Rubio so he can keep his undefeated 44-0-1 record intact.

“This fight will leave no doubt that I am the top middleweight in the world,” Chavez said.

Rubio, of Mexico, has a record of 53-5-1 with 46 knockouts. The rugged slugger has a reputation of always coming to fight. “I’m gonna give all my heart in the ring,” said Rubio.

On the undercard, three-division world champ Filipino Nonito Donaire will face Wilfredo Vazquez (21-1-1, 18 KOs) for the World Boxing Organization junior featherweight title.

“What I’ve heard so far is music to my ears,” Donaire said. “What they’ve said has really fired me up.”

Donaire boasts a record of 27-1, including a nine-year win streak.

In October he retained his World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization bantamweight titles with a 12-round unanimous decision over Argentina’s Omar Narvaez.