Latest news with #OscarDeLaHoya
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cash Thrown, Words Exchanged — Berlanga vs Sheeraz Press Conference Gets Heated
Cash Thrown, Words Exchanged — Berlanga vs Sheeraz Press Conference Gets Heated originally appeared on Athlon Sports. This weekend is shaping up to be a can't-miss moment for combat sports fans. With several top-tier cards on the schedule, the Edgar Berlanga vs. Hamzah Sheeraz fight card airing live on DAZN is one of many that promise fireworks. Two rising contenders in the super middleweight division are set to collide in a bout that could shift the future of the weight class. But it's not just the fight that's grabbing headlines—it's everything that went down before it. Advertisement The final press conference for the Berlanga vs. Sheeraz card didn't just light a fuse—it blew up the room, shared by Ring Magazine. Edgar Berlanga (L) and Hamzah SheerazGetty Images Slated as a WBC super middleweight title eliminator, the card also features Shakur Stevenson vs. William Zepeda for the WBC lightweight strap. But when Edgar Berlanga and Oscar De La Hoya locked horns on the mic, everything unraveled. Berlanga, already fired up, hurled women's lingerie at Oscar while lacing the air with expletives. De La Hoya wasn't having it. He stood tall and clapped back: 'Sit down—you have no world title, you're not even Puerto Rican. Where's your passport?' Then came the dagger: 'Your jewelry's as fake as your wins.' Advertisement Berlanga, fully leaning into the chaos, reached into a duffle bag and started tossing cash across the stage like it was a Vegas club. 'Dance!' he shouted, calling Oscar a stripper. Then came the knockout verbal shot: 'You lost Canelo, you lost Munguia, and you lost me. You couldn't afford me.' Sure, trash talk is part of the game—but this? This was a meltdown. Weeks of subtle jabs gave way to full-blown theatrics. With emotions running hot and pride on the line, the main event just became must-see TV. Buckle up. This one's personal. Related: Heavyweight KO Artist Eyes Tom Aspinall: 'I'll Stand With Him' Related: Randy Couture's Latest Challenge Ends in a Serious Scare, According to Report This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Ring Walk Times
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Jake Paul, left, gestures towards Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Mexico's ... More former world champion, during a boxing news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by)Nakisa Bidarian, CEO and Co-Founder of Most Valuable Promotions, center left, and Oscar De La Hoya, of Golden Boy Promotions, center right, look on. Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. have the same goal when they step into the boxing ring on Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. That goal is to get a victory and use the win to launch themselves into a bigger fight. The June 28 matchup between Paul and Chavez is scheduled for 10 rounds at a weight limit of 200 pounds. For Paul, Saturday's fight is his first since his November 2024 unanimous decision win over Mike Tyson. As for Chavez, Saturday marks the former WBC middleweight champ's first bout since his July 2024 decision win over former UFC fighter Uriah Hall. We look at when Paul and Chavez are expected to make their ring walks for the DAZN PPV main event. Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Main Event 200 lbs.: Jake Paul (11-1) vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Undercard 200 lbs.: Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (47-1) vs. Yuniel Dorticos (27-2) Unified Cruiserweight Championship (WBO & WBA titles) x 12 132 lbs.: Holly Holm (33-2-3) vs. Yolanda Vega (10-0) x 10 135 lbs.: Floyd 'Kid Austin' Schofield (18-0, 12) vs. Tevin Farmer (33-8-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Avious Griffin (17-0) vs. Julian Rodriguez (23-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Raul Curiel (15-0-1) vs. Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez (16-0-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Preliminary Undercard 115 lbs.: John Ramirez (14-1) vs. TBD x10 126 lbs.: Victor Morales (20-0-1) vs. Renee Alvarado (34-16) x10 118 lbs.: Alexander Gueche (7-0, 5) vs Vincent Avina (8-1-1) x10 147 lbs.: Joel Iriarte (7-0) vs. Yusuph Metu (11-2) x10 108 lbs.: Naomy Valle (14-0) vs. Ashley Felix (7-3) x 10 ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Jake Paul works out during his media workout before he faces Julio ... More Cesar Chavez Jr. from Mexico at Hard Rock Cafe on June 25, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Ring Walk Times Paul and Chavez are expected to make their ring walks for their fight at approximately 11 p.m. ET. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Time: 8:00 p.m. ET Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Location: Honda Center in Anaheim, California Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card How to Watch Or Stream: DAZN PPV Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Streaming Cost: $59.99 With Berlanga vs. Sheerz PPV on July 12: $94.99 With Usyk vs. Dubois II PPV on July 19: $94.99 ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 25: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. from Mexico works out for the media at the ... More media workout prior to his fight against Jake Paul at Hard Rock Cafe on June 25, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Preview JJake Paul (11-1 with seven knockouts) found a niche for himself fairly quickly as a pro boxer. That niche was targeting MMA fighters with name recognition who were undersized or had undeveloped boxing skills. Paul's wins over Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva got the YouTuber-turned-boxer a lot of attention. In 2023, Paul stepped up in competition, skill, and size to face Tommy Fury. The result of that fight was Paul's first and only pro loss, dropping a split decision to Fury. Paul followed that loss by getting back in the ring with a former UFC fighter in Nate Diaz. Paul won that bout by split decision. Since beating Diaz, Paul is 4-0 with wins over Andre August, Ryan Bourland, Mike Perry, and most recently, Mike Tyson. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1 with 24 KOs) has had a hard time shaking the visual of his 2019 loss to Daniel Jacobs, a fight where he came in overweight and quit in the fifth round. Chavez's action on that night left the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, showering the ring with debris. Chavez is 3-2 since that loss, but he says he will be a different fighter against Paul. "Now I'm disciplined, I'm focused, I want to finish the fight with Paul with a win and take this opportunity to be back in real boxing. That's my goal." Gilberto Ramirez Vs. Yuniel Dorticos LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (L) and Yuniel Dorticos face off at a ... More press conference as promoter Oscar De La Hoya looks on ahead of the fight between Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at The Avalon on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Gilberto Ramirez (47-1 with 30 knockouts) opened his professional boxing career on a 44-0 run, going undefeated between 2009 and May 2022. He held the WBO super middleweight title between April 2016 and December 2018, defending the belt five times before moving up to light heavyweight in 2019. Ramirez won his first five fights at light heavyweight by knockout, earning him a shot at Dmitry Bivol and his WBA light heavyweight belt. Bivol bested Ramirez in that 2022 contest, winning via unanimous decision. Ramirez bounced back from that loss with three unanimous decision wins. In the seconds of those contests he bested Arsen Goulamirian for the WBA cruiserweight title, In his most recent outing he defeated Chris Billam-Smith to add the WBO cruiserweight belt to his collection. Yuniel Dorticos (27-2 with 25 KOs) also turned pro in 2009. He too began his career with an impressive unbeaten streak, going 22-0 between his debut and February 2018. During that run, Dorticos won the vacant WBO interim cruiserweight belt in 2016 with a TKO of Youri Kayembre. Later elevated to full champion status Dorticos defended that belt with a KO of Dmitry Kudryashov. He surrendered that title to Murat Gassiev in his next outing, losing by TKO in the 12th round. Dorticos later won the IBF cruiserweight belt, beating Andrew Tabiti for the vacant strap in 2019. He lost the title in his first defense, dropping a majority decision to Mairis Briedis in 2020. Since losing the IBF strap, Dorticos is 3-0 with three knockouts, most recently stopping Alan Campa in the first round of their June 2024 scrap. ESPN has Ramirez ranked as the No. 2 cruiserweight behind IBF champion Jai Opetaia. Dorticos is the No.1 ranked cruiserweight according to the WBA. The WBO has him at No. 9. We will have more on the Paul vs. Chavez fight and the upcoming fight card as fight night nears.
The Independent
26-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The five fights that defined Oscar De La Hoya
He is most prominent now as a promoter, but twenty years ago Oscar De La Hoya was the largest name in boxing. His popularity was so that he even, by any metric, outshone the heavyweight champion of the world when it came to attention. De La Hoya came into the professional side in 1992 with an infectious smile, an Olympic gold medal, and the backing of super-promoter Bob Arum. He left it sixteen years later with a record of 39-6 (30), multiple world championships, and more money than one could ever hope to finish counting. There was nobody in any of the divisions that the Golden Boy fought in that whom he avoided. For a fighter so beloved and so valuable, many of the bouts he went into carried a heavy load of risk. De La Hoya vs. Julio Cesar Chavez, 1996 It was Mexican against Mexican-American in this clash in Las Vegas. Chavez, considered to be the greatest-ever Mexican boxer, had a record of 97-1-1 (79), but was considered past his best. The question was whether De La Hoya, 21-0 (19), was up to the task of beating whatever was left of Chavez. It took just four rounds. Cutting Chavez in the first round, then breaking his nose, De La Hoya won the fight when the ringside doctor advised that his opponent was in no state to continue. Two years later, De La Hoya stopped Chavez again, this time in eight. De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad, 1999 It was Mexico against Puerto Rico. And while both men could box, they were also renown for throwing left hooks. Meeting on the Las Vegas strip, De La Hoya came in with a 31-0 (25) record, while Trinidad entered the ring with a 35-0 (30) slate. It was De La Hoya who seemed to have the better of it through the twelve rounds the fight lasted, but then he removed his foot from the pedal in the final stretch, allowing Trinidad to move back into the scoring. The majority decision for Trinidad was controversial, but no rematch was ever made. De La Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins, 2004 While De La Hoya had picked up the WBO middleweight title by outpointing Felix Sturm (in a fight that Sturm maintains to this day that he won), the recognised ruler at 160lbs in 2004 was Bernard Hopkins, 44-2-1 (31). De La Hoya, meanwhile, had seen his career ebb and flow, his record then standing at 37-3 (29). Though the pair became business partners later, the match between the two was all business. Hopkins gradually broke De La Hoya apart after a few promising rounds for the Mexican-American, then finished him with a hook to the body in the ninth round. If anything marked the beginning of the end of De La Hoya's career, it was this one. De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather, 2007 It was a fight between the past and the future in 2007 when De La Hoya, then 38-4 (3), began to ride into the sunset with a loss to Mayweather, 37-0 (24). Despite being ruled a split decision, Mayweather won handily and, like the fight against Trinidad, there were no serious calls for a rematch. De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao, 2008 The only thing that is constant is the passage of time. It seemed when this fight was announced in 2008 that even De La Hoya was admitting this, attempting cynically to win a welterweight title against a much-undersized opponent in Manny Pacquiao, 47-3-2 (35). Coming down around ten pounds from his previous fight, De La Hoya struggled so much at the weight that Pacquiao's coach Freddie Roach later said he thought that an IV was being used to rehydrate De La Hoya up until the moment he walked to the ring. Roach told Pacquiao to jump straight on De La Hoya, which he did. After eight rounds, the fight was over with the Golden Boy pulling out while sitting on his seat. His ploy to beat Pacquiao had failed and, after sixteen years, De La Hoya's career came to its end. Honourable mentions
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Fight: Odds, Predictions, Picks
US boxer, actor and YouTuber Jake Paul (L) and Mexico's Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., (R), with boxing ... More promoter Oscar De La Hoya (2nd R) and Paul's advisor Nakisa Bidarian (2nd L), attend a press conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theater in Los Angeles on May 14, 2025. Paul will face Chavez, Jr., on June 28, 2025, in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images) Saturday's boxing match between Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is nearly upon us. The two meet in the main event of a boxing card co-promoted by Paul's MVP and Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy. The Paul vs. Chavez fight is scheduled for 10 rounds at a weight limit of 200 pounds. Jake Paul returns to the boxing ring for his first fight since his November 2024 unanimous decision win over Mike Tyson. As for Chavez, Saturday marks the former WBC middleweight champ's first bout since his July 2024 decision win over former UFC fighter Uriah Hall. We look at the Paul vs. Chavez fight betting odds, picks, and predictions. The Paul vs. Chavez boxing card takes place on Saturday, June 28, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card streams on DAZN pay-per-view. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Betting Odds And Line Movement The opening betting odds for this fight saw Paul as the -1100 favorite over the +590 Chavez. Today, BetOnline has Paul as the -600 favorite over the +390 Chavez. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Preview JJake Paul (11-1 with seven knockouts) found a niche for himself fairly quickly as a pro boxer. That niche was targeting MMA fighters with name recognition who were undersized or had undeveloped boxing skills. Paul's wins over Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, and Anderson Silva got the YouTuber-turned-boxer a lot of attention. In 2023, Paul stepped up in competition, skill, and size to face Tommy Fury. The result of that fight was Paul's first and only pro loss, dropping a split decision to Fury. Paul followed that loss by getting back in the ring with a former UFC fighter in Nate Diaz. Paul won that bout by split decision. Since beating Diaz, Paul is 4-0 with wins over Andre August, Ryan Bourland, Mike Perry, and most recently, Mike Tyson. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1 with 24 KOs) has had a hard time shaking the visual of his 2019 loss to Daniel Jacobs, a fight where he came in overweight and quit in the fifth round. Chavez's action on that night left the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, showering the ring with debris. Chavez is 3-2 since that loss, but he says he will be a different fighter against Paul. "Now I'm disciplined, I'm focused, I want to finish the fight with Paul with a win and take this opportunity to be back in real boxing. That's my goal." Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Tale Of The Tape Record: 11-1 with seven knockouts Age: 28 Height: 6'1" Reach: 76" Stance: Southpaw Record: 54-6-1 with 34 knockouts Age: 39 Height: 6'0" Reach: 73" Stance: Orthodox Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Breakdown LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. face off during a press ... More conference at The Avalon on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Jake Paul is very selective when it comes to his opponents. Over the past few years he's carefully picked competition who have name recognition and who can draw eyeballs to his fights. That approach has largely paid off for Paul as he only has one loss on his record. Paul is not cosplaying as a boxer. He has skills and from all appearances he trains hard and takes the sport seriously. He deserves respect and notice for that. However, he's not facing the cream of the crop when it comes to his career, and that's by (smart) choice. Chavez is the most skilled fighter Paul has faced, outside of Tyson, but like Tyson, who was 58 when he faced Paul, there are questions about how effective a 39-year-old Chavez can be in 2025. After all, he has only fought once since 2021 and that was against a fomer UFC fighter in Uriah Hall. Even when he was in his prime there were questions about how dedicated Chavez was to the craft of boxing and how hard he trained. Chavez is saying all the right things heading into this contest, but then again, this is a man with a 2021 loss to an aging Anderson Silva on his record, a man Paul defeated by unanimous decision. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Predictions And Picks LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Jake Paul looks on during a press conference at The Avalon on May ... More 14, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) If Chavez comes into this fight at 100 percent and is ready to compete, he has the skills to beat Paul. So, that's the question. Is Chavez going to slip the ropes at the Honda Center on Saturday night at 100 percent? Paul is betting against that. Should you do the same? I don't think so. Expect Paul to respect Chavez's skills in this fight if he shows those attributes early. If Chavez looks as if he isn't taking Paul seriously, look for Paul to be aggressive and make Chavez pay for that disrespect. A dialed-in Chavez has the tools to beat a younger and more athletic Paul, but we haven't seen that version of Chavez in a long while. With that, look for Paul to grind his way to a decision. Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025 Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Time: 8:00 p.m. ET Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Location: Honda Center in Anaheim, California Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card How to Watch Or Stream: DAZN PPV Jake Paul Vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fight Card Streaming Cost: $59.99 With Berlanga vs. Sheerz PPV on July 12: $94.99 With Usyk vs. Dubois II PPV on July 19: $94.99 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Main Event 200 lbs.: Jake Paul (11-1) vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (54-6-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. PPV Undercard 200 lbs.: Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (47-1) vs. Yuniel Dorticos (27-2) Unified Cruiserweight Championship (WBO & WBA titles) x 12 132 lbs.: Holly Holm (33-2-3) vs. Yolanda Vega (10-0) x 10 135 lbs.: Floyd 'Kid Austin' Schofield (18-0, 12) vs. Tevin Farmer (33-8-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Avious Griffin (17-0) vs. Julian Rodriguez (23-1) x 10 147 lbs.: Raul Curiel (15-0-1) vs. Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez (16-0-1) x 10 Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Preliminary Undercard 115 lbs.: John Ramirez (14-1) vs. TBD x10 126 lbs.: Victor Morales (20-0-1) vs. Renee Alvarado (34-16) x10 118 lbs.: Alexander Gueche (7-0, 5) vs Vincent Avina (8-1-1) x10 147 lbs.: Joel Iriarte (7-0) vs. Yusuph Metu (11-2) x10 108 lbs.: Naomy Valle (14-0) vs. Ashley Felix (7-3) x 10 We will have more on the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight and the upcoming fight card as fight night nears.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Julio César Chávez Jr. defies fear and trains among the L.A. community affected by ICE raids
Julio César Chávez Jr., in yellow, is surrounded by fans while training at his gym in Maywood. He was grateful to see a large crowd despite ongoing immigration raids in the Los Angeles area. (Jad El Reda / L.A. Times en Español) Raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have sparked fear, protests and the cancellation of several public events throughout the Los Angeles area. Amid the tense climate, more than 100 people recently gathered at the Maywood Boxing Club to watch Julio César Chávez Jr. train as he prepares to face Jake Paul on June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Chávez, visibly surprised by the turnout, confessed that he did not expect to see so many people given the circumstances. Advertisement 'I thought there wouldn't be people here, because of everything happening, but I'm glad they made the time to come,' the Mexican boxing star told L.A. Times en Español moments before beginning his training session. While they were drawn to the chance to watch a boxing star train, the event also united a community and showed its resilience in the face of adversity. Boxers Jake Paul, left, gestures toward Julio César Chávez Jr. during a boxing news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in L.A. on May 14. Nakisa Bidarian, CEO and co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, center left, and Oscar De La Hoya, of Golden Boy Promotions, center right, look on. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) The last few weeks have been particularly difficult in Los Angeles. Testimonials and videos on social media have documented arrests of immigrants in the middle of public streets, generating a generalized state of fear. Chávez, who has lived in the city for more than a decade, reflected on the impact of the raids. Advertisement "It even scared me, to tell you the truth, it is very ugly," he said. "I don't understand the situation, why so much violence. There are many good people and you are setting an example of violence to the community." Chávez said his concerns about the raids have little to do with political debates over immigration policy. He is more focused on the treatment of people being detained by federal agents wearing masks who don't identify themselves and target workers who appear to be immigrants. 'Seeing children left alone because their parents are grabbed. ... That is common sense, we are people and we are going to feel bad when we see that situation," he said. Although he acknowledges immigration crackdowns could affect ticket sales for his fight against Paul, Chávez was confident that the fight will go off without a hitch. Advertisement "I don't think the fight will be affected, maybe the tickets, although you can watch it on pay-per-view at home, because in the end there will be a fight," he said. "The support for me is going to be there and if they don't go, I know they will go another way. People want me to beat Jake Paul with my heart and I want to give a fight like I haven't given in a long time." Read more: While Dodgers wait to speak, Jaime Jarrín, Kiké Hernández and others support immigrants Sean Gibbons, president of Knucklehead Boxing and MP Promotions, was more direct. For him, the June 28 fight is safe. "I don't think there will be any changes. The fight will happen at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and everything that happens is happening in Los Angeles," he said. "If we had done the fight at Arena, it could have been a problem, but I think the people sent a strong message by being here [at the training session], despite everything that's going on. Hopefully things will calm down long before the 28th." Advertisement Gibbons also stressed that the attendance at the training is proof that fans are willing to come out and support Chávez, even in uncertain times. Among those attending the event was 38-year-old Maywood resident Olaf Luevano. For him, being at the gym was not only a show of support for the boxer, but also an act of unity. "This was a good way to come out and support the people, to show everyone that we are together. He is someone from our community and he will come out and fight, representing our people," said Luevano, who added that although he has legal documents, discrimination and fear affect everyone equally. 'Just because of the color of our skin and how we look, it affects us too.' Miguel Castañeda, originally from Sinaloa, Mexico, lives in Lynwood and came to witness the open-door training. Castañeda shared the same nervous feeling, but also the need to resist. Advertisement Read more: Immigration raid at car wash sparks tense scene, hours of protests in Bell 'Dismayed everyone, even the celebrities are worried,' said Castañeda, 39. "One thinks about it, but you have to go out and live. You don't have to live in fear. Not to be locked up, no, we all have to go out. ... We have to be encouraged." Castañeda was also surprised by the size of the crowd at the gym he has visited in the past. "I've never seen so many fans in this gym. It's good to see this, that people come out to support," he said. Two miles away, Chávez's legendary father opened the doors of the now defunct Azteca Boxing in Bell to connect with fans before some of his historic bouts. Advertisement Julio César Chávez Jr. said working out in front of a big group of fans not only motivates him, but also connects him with his roots. "It's impressive, the people there. It's been a long time since I've seen so many people together and even more so in these difficult times," he said. "It's a motivation to keep working hard. Also, coming to these kind of gyms, people remember the times of before and I am very grateful." Chávez said he takes issue not only with the raids, but the way political speeches — especially those by President Trump — have attacked immigrants. 'I'm from Sinaloa, where you see things over there so ugly and to come here, to such a beautiful country, and see Trump attacking immigrants, Latinos, without a purpose," Chávez said. "... You have to get closer to God and I think Trump made a bad decision.' Advertisement Chávez said he understands the fear many in the community feel as a result of the recent immigration crackdown, but it was encouraging to see people gather at his gym. 'One of my trainers didn't want to come because of the fear of ICE," he said. "... I just ask them to take care of themselves, to stay away from danger. We know ... there is a very big conflict and we're hoping that nothing bad happens." This article first appeared in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
