Not only has Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. confirmed that Sergio Martinez is fully intending on coming back to boxing and looking for a rematch with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but the Mexican legend even gave a date for when a rematch will take place.
Both Martinez and Chavez Jr. have been trading tweets with each other, trying to get a fight set for later this year.
Speaking to ESPN Deportes, Chavez Sr. admitted that the two are deep in negotiations with the fight happening on November 17.
"It's a surprise. Truthfully, the negotiations have been very strong. I thought it was a joke that 'Maravilla' Martinez would return, but it appears to be a fact. I know a lot of people won't like it, but they will meet on November 17," Chavez Sr. said.
The first fight between the two, which took place in 2012, saw Martinez defeat Chavez Jr. by a wide unanimous decision to win the WBC middleweight title. The fight appeared to have been over in the 12th round, but Chavez Jr. scored a shocking knockdown and nearly stopped Martinez in the closing seconds of the fight.
Since that win over Chavez Jr., Martinez only fought twice. Martinez retained his title against Martin Murray in Argentina back in 2013, but would go on to lose the title to Miguel Cotto in 2014. In that 10th round loss to Cotto, Martinez was knocked down three times in the first round.
As for Chavez Jr., weight issues and discipline problems have plagued his career in the last few years. Chavez Jr. has a 4-3 record in his last seven fights and has not fought since getting shut out in the judges scorecards in a pay-per-view main event loss to Canelo Alvarez in May 2017.
