Playa del Carmen, Mexico, Dec. 14
Sergio Thompson vs. Cesar Chavez, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
It still remains to be seen whether Thompson’s defeat of Jorge Linares in 2012 was just a lucky break, but the hard-punching, wild-swinging contender is ready to try and answer that and many questions in this new challenge. Thompson (27-3, 24 KO) was highly competitive in his lone title bout against Takashi Miura three months ago, and now he looks forward to a solid challenge from a battle-hardened veteran in Chavez (21-4, 9 KO), whose nickname is “ El Dolar”, and who should have no problem giving Thompson a run for his own dolares. Neighborhood bragging rights and much more is on the line, so expect a typical toe-to-toe, quien-es-el-mas-macho type of matchup from two guys who are not exactly known for their defensive skills.
What to look for in this fight: Thompson should pay the last installment of his ticket to a new title shot with a solid stoppage win, with a few interesting exchanges along the line.
