Chavez captured a gold medal in the light welterweight division at the 1989 Southeast Asian Games in his first major international competition.

[4] A month after the SEA Games, Chavez was sent to the 1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow along with Leopoldo Serantes and Isidro Vicera.

He defeated Pakistani Atta Ullah Durrani in his opening bout before losing to eventual gold medalist Ahmad Mayez Khanji of Syria in the semifinal.

[5] Chavez won a record fourth gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in 1995 after topping the welterweight division in Chiang Mai.

His semifinal win over Thai Arkhom Chenglai prevented the hosts from sweeping all 12 gold medals at stake in the sport.