Professional welterweight boxer Willie Wise from Westbury has been waiting 10 years for his "big break." But when victory arrived in the form of a 10 round unanimous decision over former World Champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Wise said he wasn't at all surprised. "I was prepared mentally, I was strong physically, and the motivation was there."

The fight aired on Showtime (channel 73) Oct. 2 as an undercard to the Will Grigsby/Ricardo Lopez Junior Flyweight Championship. Chavez, whose career is punctuated by 86 knockouts, and included a record of 103 wins, three losses, and two draws, entered the ring to the acclaim of Las Vegas fans. Wise, however, did not appear intimidated by the Mexican Legend, or the presence of his avid followers. The blue-collar fighter was aggressive and dominant in the first two rounds, evoking a hush from the crowd.

Wise took the third round by employing his competent left hook, and scoring a surprising percentage of successful power shots. His quick lead jabs were clearly upsetting the former champion, and the commentators had to admit Wise was "doing some damage." A 'time out' was called with 37 seconds remaining in the fifth round due to an accidental head butt, which left Chavez with a minor cut above his eye. Wise dictated the momentum in the sixth and seventh rounds, keeping the fight off the ropes and toward the center of the ring, which allowed him greater use of his speed. A frustrated Chavez, who appeared to be losing his ability to finish, resorted to low blows continually throughout the fight.

A powerful flurry by Wise at the end of the eighth shifted a round where both fighters appeared dormant. In the ninth, Wise continued to use his jabs to keep Chavez at bay, fighting hard and refusing to rely on the obvious advantage he had attained on the score cards.

"Willie Wise is a great fighter," Chavez told post-fight interviewers. "I have no excuses. He beat me well."

"It hasn't really sunk in yet that I beat Chavez," Wise told The Westbury Times, "but I feel good." For now he is content to reap the praise of friends and family. His 5-year-old son, Dominique, watched the fight on TV. "My wife told me he was saying, 'Yeah Dad, jab, jab, duck, now hit him with a right,'" Wise said, laughing. "My boss at Petland told me after watching the fight, 'Willie, I wasn't a boxing fan, but I'm a boxing fan now.'"

According to Westbury PAL trainer Tommy Malloy, the future looks bright for Wise. "His stock went up quite a bit after this fight," Malloy said. "We've received offers from a couple of promoters, including Don King." Additionally, Wise's dream of fighting James Paige for the World Boxing Association (WBA) title is a crucial step closer to becoming a reality.

Wise resumed training at the Village of Westbury Recreation Center on Post Ave. early this week.