Fighting Julio Cesar Chavez in Mexico was always going to be an uphill task. Fighting him with almost no training was going to be near impossible. But that's exactly what Marty Jakubowski did.

Jakubowski had shared the ring with "El Grand Campeon" during a non-title bout in Las Vegas in December 1992 and had come up short in three world title attempts, and while at the backend of his career, felt it was an opportunity he couldn't let bypass him.

"I fought in May, and the Chavez fight was in July," Jakubowski told The Ring. "I was pretty much tired of boxing by that time and knew my best years were behind me.

"My friend and agent Sean Gibbons and I were talking on the phone and Fernando Beltran asked Sean who he was talking to. That led to them needing an opponent for Chavez in a couple weeks. I had not been doing anything with boxing and working a 9-to-5 job. I was working for the Parks Department in Whiting, Indiana, with a hurt back. They hit me with the offer and of course, I couldn't turn down a trip to Mexico."

The 29-year-old Indiana native was a veteran of over 100 fights and due to the limited time and injury basically freewheeled into the bout.

"My back was really bothering me, and I didn't tell anyone I was fighting," he recalled. "Then my trainer, Mike Soria, called me and said 'Martin, my cousin Beto says there's commercials in Mexico saying you're fighting Chavez in 9 days,' I said yes I am but that I'd hurt my back and don't feel like going to the gym and making it worse.

"He picked me up later that day and we went to Gary, Indiana and I boxed with a middleweight named David Pearson. I always stayed in decent shape, took care of myself and that was about the extent of my training besides some roadwork. I had so many fights that I could box in my sleep, plus there was no pressure here because it just wasn't a big deal to me at this point in my career and life."

Jakubowski and Soria flew commercial from Chicago Midway into San Diego Airport and met Gibbons, then had a driver take them two hours across the border to Mexicali to their hotel and arrived four days before the fight.

"They gave me a couple of bodyguards," he said laughing. "They never smiled or said a word that I can remember. I love Mexico and was treated absolutely outstanding."

Having shared a ring with Chavez seven years prior, he had some idea of what he was getting into and despite a limited camp, felt he may be catching the old lion at the right time.

"I was just a kid the first fight, but was dead game, and I tried my hardest," he said. "Going into this fight, I was solid 140-something pounds and a grown man. I knew he had a lot of mileage on him and wasn't the same fighter I fought as a kid. But he was an all-time great and I could compete at the highest levels but just couldn't win earlier in my career. I just figured let's see who had more left. He did."

There were no issues at the hotel or at the pre-fight weigh in, Jakubowski taking everything in his stride.

"If there was, I didn't notice," he said. "This was completely no pressure for me. I'm never into drama, the weigh in and press conference were smooth. I respect all fighters, especially all-time greats and Chavez is a fine person. He has always treated me with respect, except when he was beating me up. I admire him as a person and a warrior."

The fight took place inside a bullring with an 11,000-strong capacity, though Jakubowski doesn't remember how full the area was on fight night in the border town.

"People told me the hometown fans might dump beer and urine on me as I went to the ring," he continued. "So, I went and bought a local football team's jersey, not one drop of liquid fell on me. The people loved Julio and respected me.

"I was in this beginning as a vacation and a payday. I had done this my entire life and to do it against a great like Chavez again towards the end of my career was a blast."

The Midwest fighter prepared himself for his assignment in the bowels of the arena.

"The locker room and hand wrapping happened in a place they said the bullfighters prayed in before the bullfight," he recalled. "I thought that was pretty appropriate for the occasion."

Jakubowski was able to handle himself fairly well in the early going until "The Lion of Culiacan" broke through.

"It went really smooth the whole time, I was on cruise control, just doing my thing," he explained. "Julio had slowed down compared to the first fight. When he got a little aggressive and rough, I'd tell him 'easy Julio.'

"I got caught by a shot I didn't see coming because I was having such a good time. I went down and promise I was completely fine and aware, but the referee didn't count at all. He was waving it off before my butt hit the ground."

Chavez had rented a house in Mexicali and Jakubowski visited him the next day.

"We had to go there to get my money the next day, the promoter did not have the money I was promised. Julio paid me the next day," he said. "Then got us a ride right through the border with no wait. He treated me very good. It was a great all-around trip, and if they call again, I'd be happy to do it once or twice more."