By Miguel Rivera
Former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (49-2-1, 32KOs) has almost fully recovered from an injury to his left heel during training.
The injury forced him to withdraw from a planned fight with WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack on April 30th.
Jack's handlers rushed to action and secured what many feel is a tougher replacement. They quickly finalized a Showtime televised fight against former IBF champion Lucian Bute of Canada.
Chavez Jr. has been inactive since last July's decision win over Marcos Reyes in Texas. During that fight Chavez injured his hand and the injury kept him out of the ring for the remainder of the year. He wants to return as soon as possible to prevent his period of inactivity from expanding any further.
The Mexican fighter is still fully focused on capturing a world title at the super middleweight limit of 168-pounds. Chavez has not weighed under 170-pounds in over two years. His last two fights had contracted catch-weights for 172-pounds.
He hopes to return to the ring in late May or a date in June.
Among the options he wants to explore - WBA champion Felix Sturm and unbeaten Gilberto Ramirez - if he defeats Arthur Abraham for the WBO championship on April 9th.
"For now Badou Jack has been ruled out, but there is Felix Sturm, and 'Zurdo' Ramirez. I don't know if Gennady Golovkin is interested, but I'm sure good things will come," Chavez Jr. told ESPN Deportes.
"There are options. I want to get a title at 168 pounds. I know people think that I can not make the weight, but I think I can and that's where I want to win a world title. I do not know if Sturm wants to fight. I do not know if Ramirez will want to fight me should he beat Arthur Abraham on April 9, but can you imagine two Mexican fighters fighting for the 168-pound championship."
