Julio Cesar Chavez is one of Mexico, and indeed, the world’s boxing greats, but even he had his controversies.
Julio Cesar Chavez retired after a loss to Grover Wiley in 2005. The Mexican legend hung up the gloves with a record of 107-6-2, and lost to only a handful of men.
Chavez was beaten by Willy Wise and Frankie Randall in two upsets that he avenged, as well as suffering two defeats at the hands of Oscar De La Hoya, and one against Kostya Tszyu.
Chavez’s record is controversial in itself, as he faced an 0-1 fighter in his 66th fight, but it was one fight in particular that elicited much controversy.
Julio Cesar Chavez fought to a controversial draw with Pernell Whitaker
Pernell Whitaker is known as one of the best lightweights of all time, and Shakur Stevenson even has a tattoo of ‘Sweet Pea’.
The legendary fighter retired with a record of 40-4-1, having lost three of his last four bouts.
In 1993, a 32-1 Whitaker faced 87-0 Chavez in a defense of Whitaker’s WBC welterweight title.
After 12 hard-fought rounds, all three commentators for Showtime, including Bobby Czyz, who lost to Evander Holyfield, had Whitaker winning.
The crowd erupted in boos as a majority draw was announced, with the only judge who scored one way or the other having it 115-113 Whitaker.
Whitaker’s promoter, Dan Duva, said, according to BoxRec: “That’s just sickening. On the day of the fight everyone who knows me knows that I had one fear: that Pernell would get robbed. That these people, for their own political interest, would deny him his victory.”
Julio Cesar Chavez was stopped by just three men
Chavez may have lost six times, but he was only beaten by five men, and only three were able to stop him:
1996 – Oscar De La Hoya – TKO4
1998 – Oscar De La Hoya – RTD8
2000 – Kostya Tszyu – TKO6
2005 – Grover Wiley – RTD5