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Chris Cozzone: After long layoff, Chavez seeks ring redemption

By Chris Cozzone
Friday, March 9, 2007

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Two years ago, Los Lunas' Jackie Chavez had an undefeated record, a world title and a local reputation as the state's No. 1 female fighter.

Then came the blow to Chavez's rep: a controversial split decision over Texan Audrey Vela in the summer 2005, in defense of her International Female Boxing Association 122-pound belt.

Then, in September that year, fighting out of town - and country - for the first time, Chavez's record took a pounding when, in her home country of Trinidad, Lisa "Bad News" Brown (12-3-3, 4 KOs) handed Chavez her first pro loss in a title fight.

Four months later, in yet another title bout, against Jeri Sitzes (12-6-1, 6 KOs) in California, Chavez lost yet another lopsided decision.

During the yearlong layoff that followed, Holly Holm soared in popularity to become the biggest draw in New Mexico since Johnny Tapia.

Now Chavez is back and - she says - better than ever.

"I'm back to prove that besides Holly Holm, there's another New Mexico world champion," Chavez (9-2, 3 KOs) says.

In the co-main event of the Holm-headlined card March 22 at Isleta Resort & Casino, Chavez will not only defend the IFBA belt she won in 2004, but attempt to erase her loss in a rematch with Brown.

"This time is going to be different," Chavez says. "This time, I'm actually going to fight.

"I freaked out watching the tape of me and Brown. I asked myself, `Is that me?' "

"She stood there and took everything Brown had to offer," her trainer, Sergio Chavez, criticizes. "She didn't throw enough punches. She stood there and lost, round after round."

Jackie Chavez says the first loss was mental, and the second, four months later against Sitzes, was physical.

"I thought I had enough time to prepare when I got the call," she says, "but I overestimated myself. Four weeks isn't enough time to fight someone like Sitzes."

A long layoff followed the two losses, but Chavez says she wasn't disheartened.

"School and work got in the way," she says. "I never once thought about quitting. Even after those losses, the first thing that entered my head was, `Let's do it again.'

"I knew I'd get back in the gym and fight again - it was just a matter of when."

In October, she teamed up with trainer Chavez and cousin Andy Rivera, who took on the role of manager.

"It was time to do something," she says. "Plus, I'm getting too old."

The 23-year-old Chavez has been sparring with Holm and Santa Fe's Jayla Ortiz, whom she defeated for her belt in 2004.

"You'll see a different fighter with Brown this time," says Chavez. "The plan is simple: I'm going to fight this time. Be more aggressive. Go in there with punches first, not my head.

"She's tough, though. She gave me plenty of bruises and good body shots last time - the best body shot I ever received."

Rivera says he receives a lot of fight offers for Chavez, mostly overseas.

"You have to be careful fighting there," Rivera says. "This time around, Jackie's going to be managed and promoted right. We're not going to go in blind and fight on short notice, or in someone's hometown, unless we know we can get a fair fight."

This time around, Chavez will have her hometown. While that's a big plus for the Los Lunas fighter, she says it also adds pressure to look good in front of fans, friends and family.

"She's got the right mind-set now," Rivera says.

"At the last Holly Holm fight, Jackie said to me, `The fans forgot me. Well, on March 22, I'm going to make sure they remember who I am.' "

Cozzone owns and operates NewMexicoBoxing.com. His column runs Fridays in The Trib. You can reach him at chris@cozzone.com