• Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr v Marco Antonio Rubio

Chavez Jnr dominates Rubio to retain belt

ESPN staff
February 5, 2012
Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr proved too strong for Marco Antonio Rubio © Getty Images
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Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr retained his WBC middleweight title after beating compatriot Marco Antonio Rubio by a unanimous decision in Texas.

Chavez bossed the majority of the exchanges and was awarded the fight 118-110 116-112 115-113 on the judges' scorecards.

Both men showed their preference for fighting on the front foot, with the crowd at San Antonio's Alamodome treated to some fierce trading. Rubio came on strong in the sixth but an unlikely win looked an even more distant prospect when Chavez finished the round the stronger, landing a series of eye-catching blows.

Chavez, the visibly stronger fighter, began to wear his opponent down in the seventh, before sensibly boxing behind the jab to stay in control of the contest.

Rubio continued to have his moments - most notably when rocking the champion with a couple of uppercuts in the 11th - but Chavez soaked them up and comfortably went on to take a deserved verdict.

"He wasn't as tough as I thought he would be," Chavez said. "I felt good about myself the whole fight. I felt a lot stronger than him. He never hurt me in the fight. I felt his punches, but he never hurt me."

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