The challenger for Jamie McDonnell’s WBA world title may have been drafted in at short notice but he insists he is not here to simply make up the numbers, writes Liam Hoden.
Javier Chacon was added to this Saturday’s bout on Monday after original challenger Walberto Ramos encountered visa issues.
And Chacon came out fighting as he met Doncaster’s McDonnell for the first time in Liverpool yesterday and has declared he will be taking the WBA bantamweight title back to Argentina.
“Jamie McDonnell says he is going to knock me out but we will see who is going to be stopping who,” Chacon said.
“I’m here to fight and looking at his record, I’m the first good boxer he will have fought.
“Jamie McDonnell is not going to be me in any way at all.
“I’m Argentine, I’m a good boxer and I’m taking the title home with me.”
Chacon insists he is fully ready for Saturday night as he was training for a defence of his Latin American title.
The 33-year-old last fought seven weeks ago, stopping Carlos Ruben Dario Ruiz in a real 50-50 fight.
That victory took his record to 20 wins from 22 fights, including five stoppages.
Earlier this year he took WBA ‘super’ champion Anselmo Ramos the distance, but lost on a wide points decision.
Chacon said: “It was a great experience to fight Moreno.
“He is a great champion and I learned a lot from him.
“Jamie McDonnell will not be as difficult.”
Chacon is likely to present a tougher test for McDonnell than Ramos would have.
Though less experienced than Ramos, Chacon has fought a better standard of opponent more recently.
There will be concern in his camp however that he has never fought outside South America and his only bout away from his native Argentina came with his defeat to Moreno in March.
The bout between McDonnell and Chacon will be live on Sky Box Office.