By Miguel Rivera
Former WBC middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32KOs) is very eager to face the biggest names possible in 2017.
He returned to the ring this past Saturday night in Mexico and won a hard-fought ten round unanimous decision over German contender Dominik Britsch in a super middleweight contest.
Chavez Jr. has several names on his hit list - including middleweight king Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin, WBO 154-pound champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale and WBC 168-pound champion Badou Jack.
Golovkin is going to return on March 18th, possibly against mandatory challenger Daniel Jacobs, but he's open to face Chavez Jr. at 168-pounds.
The fight with Canelo will be tricky because of the weight. Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez, who's company handles Canelo, said a catch-weight of 164 is possible with a rehydration clause the following day.
On January 14th, DeGale and Jack will collide in a unification. The winner has to face WBC mandatory challenger Callum Smith.
The easiest route for Chavez would likely be the DeGale vs. Jack winner - because all three fighters are advised by boxing powerbroker Al Haymon.
"I think the fight with Canelo would be really great, there would be a lot of money involved - and with Gennady Golovkin as well because he has a lot of knockouts but no names on his record. But I will not fight just anybody for money. I'll do fights with Jack or DeGale and there are fighters in my weight division. I will not go looking just for anyone," Chavez Jr. told ESPN Deportes.
"I know they (Canelo and GGG) are known fighters. They have names and they fight well. I'm willing to fight anyone around me, but you have to give respect the weight divisions and I'm a super middleweight, and the champions are Jack and DeGale - and if they want to negotiate, we cane fight."