By Rick Reeno
Promoter Lou DiBella is very receptive to a possible fight between Peter Manfredo Jr. (37-6, 20KOs) and the new WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (43-0, 30KOs). Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, has named Manfredo as one of the three frontrunners to face Chavez Jr. in the fall. Unbeaten Brit Darren Barker and mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio are the other two possibilities for the 25-year-old Mexican champion.
Arum is trying to secure a late September date, on HBO, for Chavez's first defense of the WBC crown.
"Manfredo is ready for the fight. I think it's a very good fight and I think Manfredo can beat him. I haven't received a formal offer from Top Rank, but I expect to receive one in the next couple of days," DiBella told BoxingScene.com.