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Share the bill Chavez Jr. and Donaire


Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nonito Donaire, two of the brightest stars in boxing today, combat in two separate fights in an edition of HBO's Championship Boxing on 4 February at the Alamodome in San Antonio, the promotion announced Top Rank on Wednesday.
Chavez will face fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio in a scheduled 12-round bout at middleweight, although it is unclear whether Chavez will be defending his WBC version of the title.

Donaire, one of the best fighters in the world pound for pound in the world, two titles left vacant bantamweight and will be moving up in weight to face former world featherweight champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. junior by the now vacant title at 122 Vazquez pounds it had in its possession.

It plans a news conference next Tuesday in San Antonio.

Chavez won a middleweight title in June by majority decision to Sebastian Zbik and made his first defense on November 19 with a five-round technical knockout over Peter Manfredo Jr.

"The new year promises to be even bigger for July, but first he will have the difficult task of facing top-ranked challenger Marco Antonio Rubio is," said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum. "This should be a real battle. Also on February 4, Nonito Donaire will continue its march to higher divisions when he faces Wilfredo Vazquez Jr."

It is not known if the title is at stake Chavez, because the WBC ordered earlier this month to Chavez defends his title against Sergio Martinez linear champion that Chávez wants to fight at all costs. The order of the CMB opened the possibility that the mandatory fight is delayed if Chavez and Martinez can reach an alternative arrangement. However, Arum has no interest in making a fight in which Chavez will be greatly disadvantaged. Martinez is pushing the WBC to strip Chavez of his title, so the status of the belt is in the air.

"We know that Chavez fight with Rubio on Feb. 4 in San Antonio, but some things need to be clarified," the vice president of Top Rank, Carl Moretti. "We need more clarity from the CMB in this situation. But it was already known for a long time that Chavez will be fighting on 4 February and Sergio Martinez will fight in March. That anyone thinks or says that it is possible that them to fight each other at a later date than March, is just a dream. What we all understand about this title is simply this. "

Chavez (44-0-1, 31 KOs) has a significant fan base in San Antonio and will be fighting at the Alamodome for the third time. In 2007, he fought on a card headed by Manny Pacquiao there, and in June 2010 led a billboard of pay-per-view Top Rank and scored a landslide victory against John Duddy.

Rubio (05/01/53, 47 KOs) has won 10 consecutive fights. He has not lost since it was knocked out in the ninth assault on the challenge to then-middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in February 2009.

Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs), known as the "Filipino Flash", is a former flyweight and bantamweight interim champion junior. He took off in his career this year with a landslide victory by knockout in the second assault against former three-division champion Fernando Montiel in February to win a pair of bantamweight titles. Donaire made a defense, a wide decision win against the junior bantamweight champion Omar Narvaez at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York on October 22, before deciding to move up in weight.

The Puerto Rican Vazquez (21-1-1, 18 KOs), son of former three-division champion Wilfredo Vazquez Sr., lost his junior featherweight title against Jorge Arce in 12 rounds by knockout in May in the undercard bout between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley. Arce vacated his title at bantamweight down again last month, leaving Donaire Vazquez and free to play this season.