Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is one of boxing's most popular fighters thanks to a rabid and supportive Mexican fan base and entertaining in-ring style, but he hasn't fought since March 2014 because of a contract dispute with Top Rank. He's been set free finally; Top Rank CEO Bob Arum said an agreement has been reached, and now the door may be open for Chavez Jr. to take on Andre Ward this year.
"A settlement has been concluded which I believe is satisfactory to all parties," Arum said. He didn't disclose the money paid to Top Rank to end the agreement with Chavez Jr.
"When we do something like that, we don't trumpet it, but we got it done a couple of weeks ago. I'm not going to tell you [the terms], but it was very satisfactory."
Chavez Jr.'s return to the ring is scheduled for April 18 vs. Andrzej Fonfara on Showtime, where he will likely fight for the foreseeable future. Fonfara, who has a 26-3-0 record that includes 15 knockouts, is not expected to be much more than a tune up opponent for Chavez Jr. who will eye big fights down the road.
One major opponent he could face is Andre Ward, who is returning to the ring on June 20 from his own 18-month layoff. He has not landed an official opponent yet, but claimed to have put in efforts to fight Chavez Jr., among others, and received little interest.
"Carl Froch does not want to fight me, it has been impossible to get [Gennady] Golovkin and [Julio Cesar] Chavez in the ring. I'm ready, I would fight them all, but I don't need to go out and start shouting about fights with them," Ward said.
"It has been a long and hard road to get here and the last few years have been difficult. I'm ready now to fight on a regular basis and that means I'm open to talks with Froch, Golovkin and Chavez and any other top boxers; I'm here, it is not hard to find me."
[ESPN]
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