Former world boxing champion Julio César Chávez will open his home to millions of viewers in a reality show titled Los Chávez. The series, which premieres on Sept. 11 on Disney+, will follow Chávez, his wife and children, showing a more human side of one of Mexico’s greatest sports figures.
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The opening theme song for each of the 10 episodes, “El César del Box,” is performed by Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga and was released Wednesday (Aug. 28) across digital platforms.
“We have a very good relationship with the champion and the people in his office,” Lizárraga, the group’s leader and producer of the song, told Billboard Español. “When the project was put together, he didn’t hesitate to call us and ask us for the song, which for us is a great honor.”
“When he heard the song was already finished, he loved it. Very nice things came from there,” he added. “We sang it to him live and he was moved to tears.”
Released under Lizárraga’s label, Lizos Music, and charged with their usual Sinaloan banda sound, “El César del Box” tells in broad strokes the life of the pugilist, in first person. “Mis hijos los traigo en la mente/ Bajo el ring los golpes son más fuertes/ Toquéqué el cielo, ya conocí el suelo/ Y aún sigo en el top/ Yo soy Julio Chávez/ Más bien/ Soy el César del boxeo,” goes part of the lyrics. That translates to, “I have my children in my mind/ Under the ring the blows are stronger/ I touched the sky, I already knew the ground/ And I am still on top/ I am Julio Chávez/ Rather, I am the Caesar of boxing.
Chávez’s life has been full of emotional moments, with highs and lows that include drug problems. For this reason, said Lizárraga, writing about his life was a challenge for composer Omar Robles, who is responsible for Banda MS hits such as the romantic “El Color de Tus Ojos.”
“They gave us the freedom to talk about his life. The only request was that we focus on the positive things and the achievements of the champion,” said Lizárraga.
For the music video, Banda MS invited Chávez to Mazatlán, where the star was “always in good spirits and willing to work for the 16 hours” of filming. The clip shows the fighter, accompanied by Banda MS, simulating his triumphant entrance into the ring.
At 62 years old, JC Chávez, as he is also known, can boast of having made history in the super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight divisions, becoming the pride of an entire country.
“Personally I consider myself a fan of boxing and of course of Julio César Chávez’s career,” said Lizárraga, noting that the sport has given Mexicans many joys, including recently at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Mazatlán’s Marco Verde won a silver medal.
He also recalled with emotion Chávez’s historic fight against American Meldrick Taylor on March 17, 1990: “It was defined in the last round by a knockout when it was felt that it was already lost. And then came that blow that made our champion greater.”
Watch the video of “El César del Box” below, which premieres Aug. 28 at 8 p.m. ET:
