University Of Texas Allowing Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. And Andy Lee Fight At Sun Bowl

EL PASO, Texas -- The University of Texas System chancellor announced Friday he will allow a high-profile boxing match to be held on the school's El Paso campus if law enforcement can ensure a safe environment, reversing a 3-day-old ban that had upset city leaders.

Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa had canceled the June 16 fight between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andy Lee at the Sun Bowl, citing a "higher than normal" security risk. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Friday that a federal risk assessment had warned that leaders of warring Mexican drug cartels would attend.

Diana Natalicio , the president of the University of Texas at El Paso, said Cigarroa told her one reason he cancelled the fight was a tie between Chavez Jr. and Sinaloa drug cartel boss Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman mentioned in a federal security report.

Local media have reported Chavez Jr. is in a relationship with the Guzman's son's widow.

Natalicio thanked city officials and others for their efforts to bring the fight back to El Paso.

"I am very pleased and very happy he arrived at this conclusion...it is an important positive step in the right direction," she said.

Cigarroa set several conditions for the fight to go forward: State, local and federal law enforcement must promise they can handle any security measures, the contract with the promoter and the security plan must be approved by system officials in advance, and no alcohol can be served.

Fight promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank said he was surprised by the restrictions. Arum said he'll have to get assurances from the University of Texas at El Paso and local police by early next week that they can be met. If not, Arum said he'll move the fight to Houston.

"This is preposterous. We've never had one bit of problems in Los Angeles, Houston or San Antonio, which are all big Hispanic communities, on a Chavez fight," Arum said.

Cigarroa said he met by teleconference with local and federal law enforcement and city leaders and they assured him they can provide proper security.

Arum would not confirm the relationship between Chavez Jr.'s girlfriend and Guzman's late son. However he said it was "disgraceful that (Cigarroa) would bring that issue up."

"I am offended, she (Chavez Jr.'s girlfriend) is a nice woman," Arum said.

The risk report, done by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, also said leaders of both the Sinaloa and Juarez cartels would be present at the fight. However, it said there were no specific threats to the city, the event or those attending it, the law enforcement official said.

The cartels have waged a bloody war in Ciudad Juarez across the Rio Grande from El Paso for control of drug smuggling routes and other criminal enterprises in the city.

The official, who is familiar with the contents of the report, spoke on condition of anonymity because the official isn't authorized to release the information.

University of Texas at El Paso officials confirmed Friday that university police had received a federal report earlier this month, but declined to discuss its contents.

Cigarroa's previous decision to cancel the fight without releasing any details angered El Paso officials and state lawmakers, who accused him of fostering a culture of fear that the city has been overrun by cartel-related violence. Despite the drug war raging in Mexico, El Paso ranks among the safest cities in the nation in terms of violent crime.

The chancellor apologized in a video statement for the distress his earlier decision caused.

"This is a region that I grew up in, that I truly love, and that I admire," Cigarroa said. "The process of my decision-making process resulted in angst and at times anger by the El Paso community, and I accept that."

A day after the cancellation announcement, local, state and federal law enforcement officials in El Paso, including a representative of ICE, said they had picked up no intelligence of a credible threat or security risk associated with having the fight in El Paso.

State Sen. Jose Rodriguez, D-El Paso, who had asked the Texas system Board of Regents to overrule Cigarroa, on Friday dismissed the cartel report as "incredulous."

The cartel leaders weren't likely to show up at a high-security, highly publicized event with a strong police presence, Rodriguez said.

"Logic tells us, common sense tells us, these people would stay away," Rodriguez said.

Arum laughed at the cartel warning.

"Of course members of the cartels will come. When I first started promoting, there were mafia families at Madison Square Garden," Arum said. "It would seem like a good place to arrest them."

Arum called El Paso a natural place to host a fight with a popular Mexican boxer like Chavez Jr. The 51,500-seat Sun Bowl drew more than 40,000 fans to watch Oscar de la Hoya fight in 1998.

___

Vertuno reported from Austin.

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Comments

[adika3z]

10:09 PM on 04/28/2012

how shame on many students of colleges and universitys,
why many students are so immatures kids and not growing up their educations

[deusdio77]

06:13 AM on 04/29/2012

Okay, you can speak about education, when you prove to me that you have, at minimum, a middle school-level English education.

[infinitestealth]

08:44 PM on 04/28/2012

Law enforcement in this case is either stupid or afraid. What better opportunity to arrest these people while all there together? There are cases run everyday where Law Enforcment sets up these same type of situations intentionaly to make arrests. Yet, when this falls into their hands, nothing? I'll just wait and see because, I cannot beleieve they will allow this opportunity to pass them by.

[Joebudgie]

08:01 PM on 04/28/2012

The theory that a man is guilty by association until/unless proven innocent is alive and well in Texas. Sounds like a good state to stay away from. I'll spend my vacation dollars elsewhere, Thank You.

[Anon287]

12:00 AM on 04/29/2012

Cool. You can spend your vacation dollars elsewhere. Meanwhile Texas will keep attracting development in energy and technology, and contributing its extremely large economy to the rest of the country.

[Anon287]

12:04 AM on 04/29/2012

Also, I just can't resist pointing out the hypocrisy of your criticism about Texas allegedly having this idea of "guilty by association unless proven innocent." You're painting the state with a very large brush, almost as though the entire state is guilty by association...

[Bryce Hartless]

06:46 PM on 04/28/2012

Typical BS for this area. Rampant corruption in it's school system AND government and not a peep from the people here. Ban a frikking boxing match and el pasoans flood the streets crying "foul".
Living here is like existing in the twilight zone. Ignorant, backward culture.

[Mr Blutarski]

05:57 PM on 04/28/2012

Hope Lee knocks the snot out of jr........

[Tim Day]

04:29 PM on 04/28/2012

I can promise you trouble already...Too many bad folks will be there

[Canefighter]

04:27 PM on 04/28/2012

Lets have some fun with this, Let the TSA handle security.

[budoinst]

03:38 PM on 04/28/2012

I wouldn't pay 50 cents to see Chavez. He lives off his father's well established and earned name and hasn't fought anyone of consequence. This is just another of the same type. 28-1 record looks great, BUT look at the opponents. When he fights Martinez, then he fights someone of true quality. Until thenm save your pesos.

[dtgringo]

04:55 PM on 04/28/2012

I agree. It's shameful how weak the opponents he selects are after 46 professional fights. The fact that his last three fights include a bout with Peter Manfredo Jr. says it all.

[cmcclarty]

03:23 AM on 04/29/2012

Bring in Boom Boom Mancini he would show him what a fight is and send him to his grave.

[smick1953]

03:24 PM on 04/28/2012

Can we please just give Texas back to Mexico!

[wildtill9]

04:53 PM on 04/28/2012

I thought we already did

[gblank1603]

09:18 AM on 04/29/2012

That was California

[Roxxi Raxx]

02:59 PM on 04/28/2012

And yet Barack Obama, Eric Holder and Janet Napolitano continut to lie through their teeth to the American people insisting that everything is A-OK and Hunky Dory down on the US-Mexico border. Just how absurd and so deeply mired in complete and utter denial can three of this country's most important and suposed leaders possibly be? Answers please Democrats!

[stlbrz]

07:41 PM on 04/28/2012

Obvious answer. You've been spun. There is more border protection than ever but you will never know that if you are a FAUX propaganda victim.

[To Know Me Is To Love Me]

11:27 PM on 04/28/2012

stl, i looked in the dictionary under pinhead and you picture was there! The Texas border safe says the obama regime and you just OD'd on the KoolAid!

[HAD ENUFF HUFF]

02:42 PM on 04/28/2012

Why promote such a barbaric event, HP?

[Roxxi Raxx]

03:04 PM on 04/28/2012

What are you sniffling and huffing and puffing about? We LOVE and live for violence as entertainment in this country Rip Van Winkle. Perhaps you should consider relocating to one of those sissy Scandanavian countries for a life revolving around Leggoland and sweet smelling flowers for YOUR entertainment Mary Poppins!

[HAD ENUFF HUFF]

03:50 PM on 04/28/2012

You certainly presume much about me, Roxxi. My point is the hypocrisy here at HP. The libs are normally "crying" about the poor "victims" in such barbaric events, yet HP is promoting it.

By your abusive, dismissive, insulting remarks, I'm going to guess that you qualify as one of those progressive libs who feels it is their right to put down anybody who dares to have a thought not in line with your own. You imagine yourself to be quite the wit and as the old saying goes "you're half right."

[darkwaterz29]

02:19 PM on 04/28/2012

How is the sport of boxing in any way controversial? I mean, REALLY Huffpost? Controversial? When has the sport of boxing EVER been controversial? It's like one of the oldest sports around.

[David Amaya]

05:12 PM on 04/28/2012

let me say two words DON KING, unless you are like 20 that is all the controversial the sport needed. then you have the boyfriend of a relative of a drug cartel member in the US to attend a high profile event in an open arena.

do you believe that the other cartel didn't hear UTEP's comments and thought to themselves, "Lets put a hit so the world can see via PAY-PER-VIEW to fear us!"

call the FBI and DEA and let the draw up the security plans, H-Town can hold more in the Texan's dome but the issues remain.

[dtgringo]

06:17 PM on 04/28/2012

Don King hasn't been relevant in the fight game for over a decade. Corruption of that sort has largely been eliminated from boxing. What still exists is in minor nothing fights fought in third-world countries.

Sure, the fight game has its issues, but they are now no different than issues you would find in pretty much any other sport. Bad judging and weak officiating. You get hometown judge bias or starstruck judging, but that happens in any sport with judges. One can't go a week during football or baseball season without hearing of bad calls.

Sure, they have matchmaking issues, but that is nothing new. You have the Lucien Bute issue, but it doesn't have that much of a negative impact on the overall boxing world. He won't fight anyone of consequence outside Quebec, and nobody of consequence will go there to fight him. So, it's not really a major problem, and he is nothing more than a local attraction.

[rcott1019]

01:49 PM on 04/28/2012

I'm guessing that in Texas this kind of event qualifies as a fine arts exhibition..

[jimdavis11]

02:11 PM on 04/28/2012

No, you will find that at the "Fine Arts Center" in Dallas, it's biggest porn shop!

[Roxxi Raxx]

03:13 PM on 04/28/2012

And they don't call it 'The Phallus Down In Dallas' without good reason either don't cha know! People like me in my line of work pay close attention to that sort of thing!

[jdo52tex]

01:39 PM on 04/28/2012

Hell, while the cartel is there, KILL them.

[jakespoon124]

03:38 PM on 04/28/2012

true that.

[judge jake]

04:01 PM on 04/28/2012

lets hope mcraven is around

[mactownfun]

01:35 PM on 04/28/2012

This will not go well. How far do you have to have your sombrero stuck up your shorts to not see that?

[dtgringo]

05:00 PM on 04/28/2012

Sure, it won't go well. Just like the 29 other times he's fought in the US, including 11 fights in Texas.