Villa vs Chacon Predictions: Rare stoppage on the cards for Ruben?

Former WBO featherweight title challenger Ruben Villa takes Cristian Cruz Chacon on Saturday, April 13 at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Sky Sports Arena will screen the fight for UK audiences. Here are my Villa vs Chacon predictions ahead of the 10-round featherweight throwdown.

It is coming up to four years since Villa fell at the final hurdle in pursuit of the vacant WBO world championship. ‘Drac’ gave Emmanuel Navarette a better fight than most, losing by two margins of two points while trailing by four on the third scorecard. Considering everything Navarette has done since, including moving up to win the WBO super featherweight belt, it was not a bad night for Villa.

A frustrating 18 months on the sidelines followed. This was not by design. While some fighters embark on a period out of the ring in the wake of defeat, Villa was keen to wash the stench of a first career loss off. But a series of opponent withdrawals and COVID-19 postponements limited his ring output.

Villa has fought three times since returning to the ring in Spring 2022, winning every outing. Admittedly, these bouts have come at a lower level to that which he had grown accustomed to pre-Navarette. But you can only beat what is put in front of you and Horacio Garcia, Maickol Villagrana and Brandon Valdes have all fallen.

Villa is capable of so much more. He holds a victory over Luis Alberto Lopez, the current IBF featherweight champion who holds victories over Josh Warrington and Michael Conlan. Villa has also defeated talented Cuban Alexei Collado and teak-tough Mexican Enrique Vivas. But having watched Lopez ascend to the throne, the 26-year-old will have designs on a title chance of his own.

Can Chacon throw a spanner in the works? He’ll have to throw it harder than he ever has before. The 27-year-old has never fought outside his native Mexico. He hasn’t boxed in anything longer than an eight-rounder since 2021. Chacon’s last three fights have seen him taken the distance in some very ordinary company, including a draw with Luis Ronaldo Ruelas. ‘Lacandonsito’ seems to have been extracted from the drawer marked “opponent”.

Those sort of fighters can spring an upset of course. But there is no reputation for upending the applecart attached to Chacon. He has lost six times, all to fighters that occupy the same domestic orbit as himself. One such defeat came to the aforementioned Enrique Vivas, who Villa beat via a shutout decision. 

One thing Chacon does have going for him is endurance. He has never been stopped. Given Villa’s lack of power, it would seem that this one is only going one way. That the tenacious Chacon will find a way to stay in there until the bitter end but ultimately drop a wide decision on the scorecards. If you fancy that outcome, it is a 4/9 shot. But, contrary to the form guide, it is not my prediction.

I feel that the gap in class will make all the difference here. Chacon has never been knocked out. But he has also never had to face an opponent of Villa’s quality. Equally, Villa is no knockout artist, but he has dealt with fighters of Chacon’s level inside the distance before. The Mexican is no better than recent Villa victims Garcia and Villagrana. He knocked out those men and I feel he will do the same against Chacon. If you fancy going against the grain with me, Villa by knockout is priced at 19/10.

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