By Salvador Rodriguez

Saturday's twelve round decision win by WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., against Marco Antonio "Veneno" Rubio, was viewed in Mexico by over 19 million fans. The television broadcast reached a 16 point rating mark, which added to the nearly six and a half million (5.4 rating points ) fans who watched the fight involving Robert 'Massa' Ortiz. At the end of the day, over 25 million television viewers were watching boxing in Mexico on Saturday.

According to figures, Julio's impact on Mexican television improved from his last fight, which reached a rating mark of 15 points [18 million] for the November TKO win over Peter Manfredo Jr.

The Rubio fight generated greater expectations after Chavez struggled to make the middleweight limit of 160 pounds last Friday. After a twenty minute delay, Chavez weighed in at 159.5 pounds, but rehydrated to 181 on the day of the fight.

Salvador Rodriguez covers boxing in Mexico for The Record.