By Jake Donovan
From the moment he came up just short in his championship bid versus World light heavyweight king Adonis Stevenson last May, Andrzej Fonfara has been chomping at the bit for another opportunity for a shot at the big time.
At one point, the free-swinging light heavyweight from Poland was in the mix for a rematch with Stevenson. That will no longer happen next, but he was afforded a bout that gives him even greater profile - a planned April 18 showdown with popular former middleweight titlist Julio Cesar Chavez.
The bout - to take place at a yet-to-be-announced venue - will be contested at a maximum catchweight of 172 lb. Fonfara will be coming down slightly from the light heavyweight limit, while Chavez Jr. will technically be moving up in weight, although his past out-of-ring habits and year-long activity (come March 1) suggest the April 17 weigh-in could prove to be a chore.
Whatever shape the second generation fighter chooses to arrive, Fonfara believes he comes in with a significant advantage in natural size and strength.
"I'm very excited for this opportunity," Fonfara told BoxingScene.com in an interview earlier in the week. "Chavez Jr. made a big mistake by choosing me as his next fight. He's going to find out what it's like to take a punch from a light heavyweight."
Fonfara was floored early by Stevenson in their title fight, but came back to drop the reigning champ late in the fight. The second half rally wasn't enough to change his luck on the scorecards, but saw his stock rise significantly in defeat.
A return to the win column came in November, taking a decision over Doudou Ngumbu last November in his adopted hometown of Chicago.
The showdown with Chavez Jr. was easy to make at first glance, as both fighters are under the advisory banner of Al Haymon. However, Chavez Jr's placement on that roster is the subject of a lawsuit, as the popular Mexican claims free agent status while estranged promoter Top Rank insists one more fight is owed before all contractual obligations are met.
The fight still figures to happen - the likely scenario that Top Rank is given a slice of the action - and the winner emerging as a major presence in and around the light heavyweight division. Fonfara sees it as the final step towards returning to the title picture.
"I'm already training for this fight. I'm ready for Chavez Jr. and hope a win leads to a second title fight," Fonfara wishes. "I want a rematch with Stevenson, but if a fight with (unbeaten three-belt titlist) Sergey Kovalev, I'd take it in a heartbeat as well."
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
