Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Fighting At Sun Bowl June 16th!

Earlier this afternoon, Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum announced via conference call that World Middleweight Champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would headline a big night of boxing at the Sun Bowl on June 16th. The fight comes almost 14 years to the day when Oscar De La Hoya fought in the same stadium in front of more than 40,000 fans. 600 ESPN El Paso will be there in a few weeks when Arum, Chavez Jr., and his opponent Andy Lee arrive in town for the first press conference. I can't wait for the interview between boxer Andy Lee and Sportstalk's Andy Lee. Here is the official release:  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE!

EL PASO'S SUN BOWL CHOSEN TO HOST

CHAVEZ VS LEE, HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

"VIVA CHAVEZ" TICKETS GO ON SALE APRIL 28"

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EL PASO, TEXAS (April 5, 2012) --- Hall of Fame Boxing promoter, Bob Arum, made it official today in a Media Conference Call -- El Paso's Sun Bowl has been chosen to host the Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. vs Andy Lee, World Middleweight Championship bout on Saturday, June 16th.

The twelve-round title fight will be one eight bouts presented by Arum's Top Rank, Inc, of Las Vegas, Nevada.  The Chavez vs Lee, main event, will be televised Live on HBO domestically and also to a world-wide TV audience. 

The remainder of the card, as well as other event details, are to be announced at a MEDIA CONFERENCE, TUESDAY, APRIL 24th in El Paso.  The location of the Media Conference will be determined next week and then provided to the media and public.

Tickets for the event, priced at $25, $40, $60, $100 and $200, are scheduled to go ON-SALE, SATURDAY, APRIL 28th (12:00 Noon) at the UTEP Ticket Center, All TicketMaster locations, including online at ticketmaster.com.

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Chavez, Jr. becomes the second rising boxing star to be featured at the Sun Bowl.  Former U.S.

Olympian and eventual 7-time World Champion, Oscar De La Hoya defended his World Welterweight Championship at the Sun Bowl on June 13, 1998.  De La Hoya stopped Patrick Charpentier in the 4th round.

According to Arum, in a conference call today with El Paso media, he's been looking for the right opportunity to bring another major boxing event to El Paso and the Sun Bowl.  "As everyone knows, we had tremendous success with Oscar fighting here, almost 14 years ago," noted Arum, of the Sun Bowl event that drew 49,000.  "We've been looking for an opportunity to come back and with Julio (Chavez), the timing seemed to be perfect.  He just did his first million dollar gate in San Antonio and his ratings on HBO are the highest of any fighter in two years."

The 26-year-old Chavez (45-0-1, 31 KOs), of Mexico, will be making his third defense. He made his first defense in Houston by knocking out Peter Manfredo Jr. in the fifth round in November and he scored a unanimous decision against Marco Antonio Rubio at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Feb. 4.

The #2 World Ranked Lee (28-1, 20 KO's), is originally from Ireland, where he was a 2004 Olympian.  He now lives and trains in Detroit, Michigan, with famed trainer Emanuel Steward, who likes Lee's chances against Chavez, Jr.

"I feel very good about it," Steward told ESPN.com, yesterday. "I know it's not the ideal situation for us because everything is against Andy, but I have the confidence that he has the ability to score a knockout. We know what we're going up against with the whole situation. But this is the type of opportunity we can't pass up."

Steward, a noted trainer of over 20 World Champions, will be pitted in the opposite corner of another great trainer, Freddie Roach.  Roach will be in the corner with Chavez, Jr.

"This is truly a great fight for the fans," said Arum.  You have two of the best young fighters in the world in a "pick-em" fight, with the two best trainers in the world working their corners."

Arum also noted that the June 16th event will take on more of a festival type atmosphere, with the addition of live music entertainment and fireworks to compliment the boxing card.  Those details are to be announced as well.