Andy Lee Press Release – June 15, 2012

Controversy has broke out after the weigh-in of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Andy Lee world title bout in El Paso, Texas over the gloves for the fight. A representative for the Texas Commission refused a request made by Team Lee to have Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. gloves weighed to ensure they met the 10 oz regulations and conditions for the world title fight. Freddie Roach, Chavez’s trainer also would not agree to Team Lee’s request either.

“They brought their own gloves and we brought ours,” explained Lee’s manager, Perry Mandera, “so we thought in the interest of full disclosure and a level playing field, we would weigh both pairs. We weighed ours out in the open in front of everyone. They would not put theirs on the scale. So, I requested Robert Tapia to make them do it. He told me ‘I’m the boss here. I say whether or not we inspect the gloves and we’re not going to.’”
Mandera says he then requested Chavez trainer Freddy Roach to weigh the gloves in the spirit of fairness. “He pushed past me and said ‘we don’t have to, so we’re not going to.’”
Lee’s team say after today’s incident, they are left hoping there won’t be any other questionable conduct surrounding this fight.
“We just want everything fair. I don’t know why they wouldn’t drop the gloves on a scale to remove any doubt about a pair of gloves they brought themselves. Yes, it’s a new pair, but you ever buy a pair of shoes that say size 10 and they’re not? That’s all we were trying to resolve. So why won’t they weigh the gloves?

Chavez (45-0-1, 31 KO) weighed in at 159 pounds, with Lee (28-1, 20 KO) at 159¼.