By Jake Donovan

Of all the fighters Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. could have chosen for his next fight – and his SHOWTIME debut – his handlers settled on light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara.

The thought process was that it was a recognizable name, and perhaps a vulnerable enough fighter while trying to figure out whether the second-generation boxer will campaign at super middleweight or in fact move all the way up to light heavyweight in pursuit of future glory.

Fonfara doesn’t need to know why he was chosen. All he needs to know – or at least believe – was that it was the worst possible choice Chavez Jr. could’ve made – and he couldn’t be more grateful for his future opponent’s lapse in judgment.

“I’m so excited for this fight. Julio made a big mistake choosing me for this fight,” insists Fonfara (26-3, 15KOs). “Now he will get to feel how hard a light heavyweight punches.”

The fight will take place April 18 at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Because he is who he is, Chavez Jr. won’t have to move all the way up in weight. The bout will come at a maximum catchweight of 172 lb., which is just under the heaviest he’s ever weighed for a prizefight.

The former middleweight titlist tipped the scales at a beefy 172½ lb. for his first fight with Bryan Vera in this very arena some 18 months ago. The fight was his first following a year-long hiatus in large part due to his suspension due to a failing a post-fight drug test following his points loss to Sergio Martinez one year-prior.

Chavez Jr. was considered lucky to escape with a decision win that night, controversial enough to prompt a rematch which he won far more handily at a lighter weight six months later. It was the last we’ve seen him in the ring, as the bout was followed by a lengthy – and still ongoing – lawsuit with estranged promoter Top Rank.

Now armed with adviser Al Haymon, Chavez Jr. – previously a regular face on HBO - takes his business to Showtime, on which Fonfara will now appear for his third consecutive fight.

Fonfara’s network debut came in his lone title shot to date, coming up just short in a brave showing versus Adonis Stevenson on the road in Montrea, Canada last May. Heading in, Fonfara was considered easy pickings for the defending World light heavyweight champion, with much of the action throughout the first half of the fight substantiating such claims.

After surviving two knockdowns and a cut over his eye, Fonfara managed to hang around. The second half of the fight told a far different tale, exposing Stevenson’s vulnerabilities, and forcing the boxing world to grant Fonfara newfound respect. He would eventually lose the fight by decision, but left the ring with his head held high.

His effort was courageous enough for some to begin talking about a rematch, though even his own handlers – which now include Haymon – knew that they would have to build towards such a fight. With that came the opportunity to headline his own Showtime card, with Fonfara outpointing Doudou Ngumbu in his home away from home in Chicago last November.

There was little at stake, other than making sure he won and looked good doing so. Fonfara managed to put a check mark in both boxes while awaiting his future. At the time, everyone armed with Haymon at their side was pretty much on hold, well aware that big things were to come, but not quite sure how everything would map out.

With the high-powered adviser now running his Premier Boxing Champions series already on a number of networks – including NBC and its affiliate networks, Spike TV, CBS and Showtime – Fonfara is confident of a bright future.

Of course, it will all begin with a win over Chavez Jr., which would mark the most notable scalp claimed in a career coming up on nine years. Yet Fonfara doesn’t see it that way, but instead means to get the fights he really wants.

“A win here will let me get another shot at the title,” states Fonfara, who continues to crave another shot at Stevenson. Both fighters will have their chance to build towards such a fight or other possibilities following separate bouts in April. Two weeks prior to Fonfara’s showdown with Chavez Jr., Stevenson will defend his light heavyweight crown versus Sakio Bika live on CBS during a Saturday afternoon telecast from Quebec, Canada.

From there, the most meaningful fight for Stevenson would of course be a showdown with unbeaten light heavyweight knockout artist Sergey Kovalev, who happens to own every other major belt in the division. With those belts come mandatory obligations, among them Nadjib Mohammedi, who has already stepped aside twice and will now enforce his title fight in a summer showdown.

That leaves Stevenson free reign to face whomever he chooses. Given his alliance with Haymon, the winner of this bout is likely to be next in line.

“I knew when I took this fight that it will be a tough fight, but will bring me the big names I want,” Fonfara says of the bout. “I want a rematch with Stevenson. I want to face big names like Carl Froch and Sergey Kovalev. If I could fight Kovalev next, I would absolutely do it.

“But the fight I want more than anything is another shot at the title with Stevenson. I know I can win a rematch.”

Of course, he first has to win a fight with Chavez Jr., whose only loss came to then-middleweight king Martinez. The bout was one-sided, yet memorable for its epic 12th round. Chavez Jr. was hopelessly behind on all three scorecards but rallied hard to drop and nearly knockout Martinez in the final round. That moment never came, but the electricity felt in the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas was nearly unrivaled to that of any moment in recent boxing history.

It’s that type of resolve that Fonfara expects to encounter on April 18. What he wonders is if his opponent is prepared to receive the same in return.

“I expect a very good fight from him,” Fonfara admits. “I know he hits hard and he takes a very good punch.  This fight will be good for the fans, but it will not go 12 rounds.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox