After completing his fourth defense of the WBC Middleweight title, Julio Cesar Chavez spoke about wanting Sergio Martinez as his next opponent, after seemingly dodging the number three pound-4-pound fighter in the world for the last year. Like everything in boxing, we’ll believe it when we see it.

So what has JCC Jr proven to us with his 7th round TKO victory over Ireland’s Andy Lee? He showed that he can take hits during the first couple of rounds and not be affected by them. He showed his counter punching skills, which were better than usual. He showed he can overcome leg cramps and knock a fighter out, or at least get the referee to stop the fight.

Chavez was arrogant at some point. After making it through the first two rounds with barely a scratch on him despite clearly being out-boxed, despite barely throwing a punch, he began showering Lee (28-2) with his right cross. Eventually, after a huge uppercut that snapped Lee’s head up and to the side, Chavez went in with a flurry that brought the fight to a halt and end.

Midway through the fight he even dropped his gloves, smiled and faked wobbly knees, showing how unaffected he is by Lee’s lack of power. It was all Chavez from there, with left hooks and right uppercuts as the taller man was forced to retreat and unsuccessfully defend.

Much of the night was about security, and the feat of Mexican drug cartels sending their men into the crowd at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. For a week back in April, the fight was actually cancelled. But the only violence was inside the ring, with Chavez improving his record to 46 wins in 48 fights, with one no contest and one draw on his record.

What’s next? It has to be the class of division, Sergio Martinez. Maravilla himself is hoping to get Floyd Mayweather once he finishes his jail term (he ain’t coming out before his due time according to the courts), but until recently, before Mayweather’s team began talking about Martinez being a viable option, Martinez kept looking for a chance at Chavez. He even forfeited the WBC Diamond belt because organization didn’t force Chavez to face him.

But Chavez is a top rank fighter, and Bob Arum is not going to send in Chavez to fight Martinez until it’s worth maximum money, while knowing that loss won’t hurt the future chances of JCC to make more cash for him. Still, after avoiding this fight for over a year, ready or not, and that is arguable, it seems the two are headed towards a fight. It really depends on Martinez, who’s getting older and is anxious for a big payday, and is craving for a shot at Mayweather at 154. If that doesn’t happen, than Chavez seems more willing to take him on than he ever was.