CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. won a unanimous decision over Bryan Vera on Saturday night in his return to the ring from a yearlong absence.
Chavez (47-1-1) overcame weight struggles and a lively challenge from the unsung Vera to get the decision on all three judges’ scorecards, winning 96-94, 97-93 and 98-92. The StubHub Center crowd roundly booed the decision.
Chavez missed the original 168-pound contract limit for the bout, and the notorious boxing scion struggled just to get to the new 173-pound limit for Friday’s weigh-in.
Vera (23-7) was furious with the verdict, feeling he outpointed Chavez with superior activity and aggression in the 10-round bout. Vera threw more than twice as many punches as Chavez, whose face was swollen and cut by the final bell.
