Photos courtesy of HBO
Let me start off by saying I’m fluent in both English and Spanish, but I’m much more comfortable hurling insults across a tiny table at you in the former.
It is with this thought in mind that I can’t understand why Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. decided to stick to his not-so-very-good-looking English when he faced off against Canelo Alvarez, alongside moderator Max Kellerman.
Okay, so I kind of understand Chavez Jr. if he’s trying to be more marketable and sexy for the gringos, speaking English and all, but there is a time and a place for it.
You had about 4,000 press conferences, interviews, workouts and media calls to show off your English skills–face off is not the time!
In the spirit of animosity and true disdain, I think people would have rather read subtitles that said something along the lines of, “Chavez Jr.: I’ll leave you in a Jalisco back alley ditch you worthless piece of sh*t,” instead of hearing a meek, “Mmmm, yes, I have disdain for Canelo.”
If you haven’t checked out the episode, you can watch it below. Minute 10:20 is especially telling as Chavez Jr. slowly nods along with Canelo as Alvarez tells Chavez Jr. that he’s the A side now (among other things).
Chavez Jr.’s blank stare and remorseful head nods remind me of my three-year-old son when I ask him why he ate that extra cookie–did I say you could eat another cookie? No.
But I digress.
If we’re reading body language, though–which, *spoiler alert*, I’m not an expert in–it seems like Chavez Jr. is really passive in this whole exchange and Canelo is riled up, ready to open up a Mexican can of whoop ass.
Every time Canelo asked Chavez Jr. a question I was waiting for Chavez Jr. to flip out with a speedy verbal rant, ala Cantinflas, but I watched it twice and that never happened!
As fight week kicks off tomorrow, Monday, May 1, it’ll be interesting to see Chavez Jr.’s face-to-face interactions with Canelo and if he flips on the Spanish language audio for us.
What did you think of HBO’s Face Off with Max Kellerman? Should Chavez Jr. have done the interview in Spanish?
