Bernardo Osuna Interviews the Boxing Legend
Boxing fans were in for a treat as the great Julio Cesar Chavez was the featured guest at a special event held Wednesday, April 23, at the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel (Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation) in Highland, Calif.
I had the opportunity to attend this lively Q&A session with the legendary Chavez and world-renowned sports journalist Bernardo Osuna (ESPN and ESPN Deportes) on stage inside the Yaamava’ Theater. The venue was decked out in the colors of the Mexican flag with festive lights and a mini boxing ring set-up on stage.
It was a knockout night at Yaamava’ during this hour-long fiesta as Chavez answered many questions from both Osuna and his adoring fans during the festivities. The exciting evening had various levels of ticket choices including a dinner, meet and greet and autographed memorabilia for $600 a ticket to entries for the Q&A session beginning at just $45 each.
The boxing superstar and beloved world champion (107-6-2, 85 KOs) engaged in an entertaining Q&A panel that touched on everything from Julio’s humble beginning (growing up with nothing in a large family) to his ultimate success with 37 world title fights to his self-admitted lowest point in his life–his drug addiction alcohol abuse, severe depression and downward spiral in which he almost lost everything.
And there were countless other pivotal moments in between those years. The champion recalled his time in Sonora and Sinaloa and how much his country means to him. Julio promised that he never forgot his roots and reminds himself daily on how he started with absolutely nothing.
The icon also talked about how he went from $4000 paydays to Don King offering him $100,000 for a fight and thus earning enough money for Chavez to a house for his mom! He spoke of what it was like fighting in front of over 130,000 people in Azteca Stadium (versus the late Greg Haugen), and facing off against his toughest opponent in Meldrick Taylor.
He retired in 2005 after squaring off against Hector Camacho, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor, Oscar De La Hoya, Kostya Tszyu, Ivan Robinson, Rafael Limon, Roger Mayweather, Frankie Randall and so many more en route to his long and successful career as a pro.
The popular Mexican legend, 62, also revealed how he handled any feelings of fear before his fights.
“I felt fear in every fight (but not against my opponent),” Chavez said in Spanish as Osuna provided the translation. “I feared losing and letting down my country…and
that fear is what motivated me. But when the bell rang, the fear was gone!”
The evening’s moderator Osuna (a National Boxing Hall of Fame inductee) went through of long list of Chavez’s accomplishments during his illustrious career including his 87 consecutive wins, his championship wins and title defenses, worldwide acclaim and, currently, as an inspiration to those fighting drug abuse.
The champ’s life contains the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.
Chavez admitted, “My lowest point was when I fell into depression and picked up the bottle and did cocaine–I almost lost everything.”
He credits his wife for saving him and he recalls spending six months in rehab. The Hall of Famer also stated: “The biggest triumph of my life is being 16 years sober!”
This humble recovered addict has opened two clinics in Mexico to help others that are in the same predicament he once lived through. He knows the harsh and debilitation struggle of battling addiction.
“Our clinics in Tijuana and Culiacan are ‘holistic’ clinics to help people get clean and stay clean,” Chavez said about his rehab centers called Clinica Baja del Sol.
The father of prizefighters Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Omar Chavez also mentioned that his son JCC Jr. has overcame his own addiction. And the boxing champion also told the crowd to bet on his son Julio’s upcoming fight against Jake Paul! Julio Jr. is a big underdog versus internet star Jake Paul and Chavez Sr. told the audience to go for the underdog!
It was an exciting night for the attendees who got to witness their hero up close and personal. During the talkback, Chavez was funny, thoughtful, good-natured, passionate and emotional as Osuna touched on several topics of interest that fans wanted to hear about. The gentleman had a natural rapport between them and the conversation flowed effortlessly.
The ticket holders stepped up to the mic as they got the chance to ask some of their own personal questions and to thank the champion for the decades of entertainment he provided the fans. The spectators expressed how they grew up watching his fights with their families and how generations of fans have all embraced the Mexican sensation.
Julio Cesar Chavez has long cemented his legacy as one of the best pound-for-pound champions of all time.
And after the memorable Q&A event officially ended, the multiple world titleholder also proved to be the “People’s Champ” as he was surrounded by fans all wanting to get an autograph or a selfie with “La Leyenda” by the stage.
Checkout some of my pics from the night with Julio and Bernardo at Yaamava’–It was truly one for the ages and one for the boxing fans!
Photos by Michele Chong