Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.'s camp is reportedly in talks with Carl Froch about a potential bout this January in Las Vegas, where Froch said he wanted to fight before he retires.
Talks have reopened with Chavez and Top Rank," Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN. "I've had talks with Carl about [James] DeGale and Kessler but he says he wants the Las Vegas fight and I have to deliver that for him.
"Top Rank came on and said they are talking to Chavez Jr this week. I can't go too much into it because there are contractual issues between them. January 31 was always the date with HBO pay per view TV, but I'm not at the stage of talking dates yet."
Recently Top Rank CEO Bob Arum blasted Chavez Jr. for not committing enough to training, and for rejecting major fight proposals.
"Chavez has the ability to perform at the highest level but has no desire to make the sacrifice it takes to perform at the top of the sport," Arum said. "He proved he can do it against fighters like Andy Lee, who is still able to fight well. But he doesn't take things seriously in the gym and that is reflected in the ring. It's a shame because not everyone has the abilities he has."
Arum then complained about numerous fights Chavez Jr. has rejected. "We have offered several big fights and still he refuses," Arum complained.
"He turned down Gennady Golovkin, then Carl Froch and now we proposed Gilberto Ramirez. He would make a good amount of money, Ramirez wants to fight him, but still he refuses. We believe it is because some people, who are allied with his manager Billy Keane, are advising him not to accept anything."
That script may be flipped now with the new reports emerging about the Froch talks being back on. If Froch does take a bout with Chavez Jr., he'd likely have to give up his IBF title. DeGale is his mandatory challenger, but Froch has expressed little interest in facing him.
Hearn, however, thinks a DeGale fight could still happen at Wembley Stadium.
"Carl has a time-frame to defend his IBF title against James but this could open the door for James to fight for the vacant title and we could do a deal saying the winner of Froch-Chavez Jr will face the winner of the vacant IBF title fight between James and probably Gilberto Ramirez, who is also a Top Rank fighter, in a big Wembley fight next summer," Hearn said.
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