Chavez Jr. vs. Lee: Chavez Steps Up, Scores Spectacular Knockout

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. took a huge step up in competition Saturday night in El Paso, Texas, and silenced many of his critics. Chavez (46-0-1 32 KO) scored a spectacular seventh-round TKO victory over dangerous Andy Lee (28-2 20 KO). 

Perhaps, most importantly, he took the fight into his own hands and out of the judges'.

Many considered Lee to be the most dangerous fight of the young WBC middleweight champion's career, and the early rounds played that out.

Lee was able to control the distance in the first two rounds using his jab and kept Chavez from fighting on the inside where he could land his devastating body punches. 

As the rounds went on, Chavez began to get inside and uncork serious firepower to Lee's midsection which took a great deal of steam out of the Irish challenger's shots. 

By the sixth round, Chavez was walking down his opponent, and the disparity in punching power was clear. Lee threw more shots in many of the rounds, but Chavez did the most damage.

The end came in the seventh as the champion backed the challenger against the ropes and uncorked huge shots to the head and body. While the left hooks to the body did damage, it was a huge right hook that put Lee out on his feet and prompted the stoppage by referee Laurence Cole.

After the fight, Chavez seemed ready to step it up further and challenge recognized middleweight champion Sergio Martinez—a fight many have said his promoters have protected him from in recent years. 

"I'm gonna knock him out that night so he can shut his mouth," said Chavez Jr. through an interpreter when asked by Larry Merchant if he was ready to face Martinez.

For his part Andy Lee, who praised his opponent in defeat, agreed that Chavez Jr. would pose great problems for Martinez if the fight were to come off.

"I think it's a tough fight for Sergio, just because of the size difference. He's a lot better than people give him credit for. He's a champion for a reason," Lee told Larry Merchant in the ring after the fight. "Hard fight for Sergio.  Because he's a big fighter. He's got a big heart and a good chin."