Chavez, still the #1 contender, got one final chance to win back his old WBC light welterweight title, but then-champ Kostya Tszyu (24-1-0, 20 KOs) stopped him at 1:28 into the sixth round.
ALSO ON THE CARD – Hector Camacho Jr retained his NABA light welterweight title with a technical decision over Philip Holiday after an accidental elbow oppened up a cut over Holiday’s right eye. Jose Luis Cruz scored a ninth-round TKO over Leonard Townsend to win the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title. Vassiliy Jirov won a second-round TKO over Earl Butler. Sergei Lyakhovich knocked out Anthony Curry in one.
THE OPPONENT – The Russian Kostya Tszyu had a successful amateur career and then moved to Sydney, Australia, where he turned pro in 1992. Some of his earlier opponents like Sammy Fuentes, Livingstone Bramble and Angel Hernandez had also fought Chavez. Tszyu defeated all comers and won the IBF light welterweight title from Jake Rodriguez in 1995. He had four successful defenses (including a decision over Roger Mayweather) and one no contest before finally tasting defeat with a tenth-round TKO by Vince Phillips (Ring magazine’s 1997 Upset of the Year). However, he continued adding wins to his record and won the interim WBC light welterweight title in 1998 by defeating Diosbelys Hurtado and then made it official with a tenth-round TKO over Miguel Angel Gonzalez the following year. Kostya Tszyu remains undefeated and is still active with a record of 31-1 (25). He has also beaten many other great fighters, including Sharmba Mitchell, Zab Judah and Jesse James Leija.
ROUND ONE – Tszyu was set and waiting for the opening. Chavez missed a couple of punches while moving backwards and was hit with a jab. Tszyu came in with a combo and landed a left to the body. Chavez was still missing his punches and moving a lot. Tszyu landed a light left hook and a few more punches to the head. Chavez landed a couple of shots but was not doing much damage as he was catching Tszyu only on the end of his punches. After a clinch, Tszyu got in some hooks to the head, skimming the neck a little as well. Chavez landed a good right, which was quickly matched by Tszyu. Near the end of the round, Tszyu landed a hard right and a left on Chavez in the corner. Chavez got in a solid left hook in the clinch, and both fighters missed a couple of blows before the bell.
CORNER – In Tszyu’s corner were trainer/cutman Johnny Lewis, Peter Mitrevski and Scott Audrey. In Chavez’s corner were trainer/cutman Romulo Quirarte, Rodolfo Chavez and Miguel Molleda.
ROUND TWO – Chavez jabbed and missed the cross, giving Tszyu the opportunity to push down on his head and push him back against the ropes. Though trading, neither fighter was landing many clean blows. Tszyu pushed the jab and went to the body before caught in a clinch. Chavez had some trouble getting past Tszyu’s defense and landed only glancing blows to the body. Tszyu obviously had less trouble as he was landing a good variety of punches, though missing quite a few also. Chavez came back stronger with an uppercut and hook after another clinch. He leaned on the back of Tszyu’s head but was still being hit in the body as the crowd once again chanted “Mexico!” Chavez landed another good hook to the head. Then, after missing a punch, he was a little off balance and was pushed halfway through the ropes by Tszyu. In the few seconds before the bell, Chavez landed a good jab and traded with his opponent.
ROUND THREE – Chavez came in and missed a punch over Tszyu’s head, who then grabbed Chavez by the waist and lifted him up slightly. Chavez backed up to avoid Tszyu’s jabs. Tszyu got one in, but Chavez matched it. Chavez then landed the double hook to the body and head, which hurt Tszyu a little. They traded a few more blows, but Chavez was hit with the uppercut when he got too close and clinched again before coming back with a right to the head and a hook. Tszyu landed a left and right to the head. The crowd was encouraging Chavez with chants of “Mexico!” but he landed only glancing blows as Kostya held onto and slightly leaned on the back of his head. Chavez received a warning for rabbit punches, and after some more slugging (and a beautiful uppercut by Tszyu) he received another warning, this time for a hard low blow. Tszyu was okay, though, and landed his right hand, uppercuts on the inside and jabs from the outside. Another exchange had both fighters landing some good hooks. Chavez got in the last left hook to the head, but the force just helped propel him backwards as Tszyu pushed him into the ropes again.
ROUND FOUR – Just a few shots were exchanged as Chavez moved back to evade punches and then tied Tszyu up again. Chavez landed a cross, and Tszyu looked to match it but missed. With his arm across Chavez’s midsection, though, and with Chavez’s foot caught on his own, Tszyu lifted Chavez, pulled him over and dropped him to the canvas. Chavez looked a little reluctant to keep fighting in that style but got back in there. They exchanged jabs for a while before clinching again. Halfway into the round, Tszyu landed a solid right and followed up with a hook to the body. Back on the inside, there were a lot of glancing blows and one flush right hook to the head by Tszyu. They clinched, and Tszyu landed another hard right. Chavez clinched again, landed a couple of rabbit punches, and received a second warning from the referee for low blows. He responded to an uppercut from Tszyu with hooks to the body but all just glancing blows. Tszyu scored with the left but was caught in another clinch just before the bell.
ROUND FIVE – Chavez came out aggressively with body shots. After a couple of clinches, Tszyu pushed him to the canvas. He then jabbed to the body but missed a few shots. Chavez threw multiple jabs, and the fighters began slugging. Tszyu was landing the better hooks, and Chavez made up for it with another low blow. For the rest of the round, Tszyu was dominant, hitting Chavez almost at will with a variety of punches singly and in combos. Chavez didn’t seem to be bothered by it too much but got in only a couple of punches of his own and by the end of the round had a small cut on his forehead.
ROUND SIX – Both fighters came out slugging, but Tszyu landed some hard shots and a solid right. Once again Chavez responded with a hard low blow. This time, however, he had a point deducted. Almost immediately after the fighting resumed, Tszyu saw the opening and jabbed to set up a perfect right cross. Chavez’s head snapped back, and he collapsed to his hands and knees. He was up at seven, though, and ready to continue. There was another lopsided exchange, and Tszyu pushed Chavez halfway to the ropes. Chavez was taking a lot of punishment now but continued to fight back with hooks to the head and body. Tszyu’s punches were getting harder and more frequent, though. He battered Chavez in the head until 1:28 into the round when Chavez’s cornerman climbed onto the ring apron and the referee consecutively stopped the bout. And although they weren’t in Mexico City, the audience still threw their bottles and such into the ring to express their disappointment.
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Venue: Memorial Coliseum
Scheduled: 12 Rounds
Title: WBC Junior Welterweight
Referee: Bobby Ferrara
Judge: Marty Denkin
Judge: Chuck Hassett
Judge: Gerald Maltz
Promoter: Vlad Wharton / Don King
Broadcast: Showtime
Ring Announcer: Jimmy Lennon Jr.
Commentator: Steve Albert
Commentator: Ferdie Pacheco
Commentator: Bobby Czyz
Interviewer: Jim Gray
Physician: Charles Howard
Physician: Dr. MacDougall
Attendance: 14,100
Chavez purse: $1.25 million
Tszyu purse: $1.25 million