Andrzej Fonfara Hires Virgil Hunter as New Head Trainer

By Luke Furman

After years of working with Sam Colonna was time for a change. Light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara (28-4, 16 KOs) parted ways with the coach and hired a new, much more familiar trainer.

The boxer known as the "Polish Prince" has hired Virgil Hunter of the Bay Area in California. Hunter is best known for training Olympic gold medal winner Andre Ward, and also trains such fighters as Amir Khan, Andre Berto and several others.

Fonfara is moving from Chicago to California, specifically San Francisco. His first training camp with his new coach will begin soon.

Fonfara had a breakout year in 2015. He started off in April with a ninth round stoppage of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. And then in October he fought his way to a twelve round unanimous decision victory over former world champion Nathan Cleverly. The fight with Cleverly was regarded as one of the best action fights of the year.

When 2016 started off, Fonfara was on the verge of landing a rematch with WBC light heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson, who previously beat the Polish fighter in May of 2014. The two sides were in serious negotiations, but they were unable to reach a financial agreement. Each fighter blamed the other for the failed discussions.

To stay busy, Fonfara took what many felt was an easy fight when he faced an untested contender in Joe Smith Jr. Things did not go as expected. He got clipped in the very first round by huge counter that sent him crashing down. Fonfara never recovered and was stopped in the very first round.

Fonfara,who is managed by Al Haymon and promoted by Warriors Boxing, is expecting to return to the ring in November or December.

"I have to close this year with a victory," Fonfara said.

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.