Roach Feels Chavez Jr. - If in Shape - Could Test Gennady Golovkin

By Edward Chaykovsky

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has a good feeling about former WBC middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (49-2-1, 32KOs).

Chavez Jr. had parted ways with Roach back in 2012 and then used the services of coaches Joe Goossen and Robert Garcia. Now the two of them are back together at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.

The Mexican star has been inactive since injuring his hand last July after a ten round decision win over Marcos Reyes.

Chavez has struggled with his weight in recent years. He moved up to super middleweight a few years ago, but he's had issues making the weight for that division and took several fights at 170-pounds and above.

Roach admits Chavez is still pretty heavy, but he plans to whip him into shape.

“We haven’t really talked about anything, but he’s been in the gym 12 days in a row,” Roach said to Yahoo Sports. “He’s still got a ways to go with his weight. He’s 185 right now, but he’s been here for 12 days.”

In 2014, there were serious negotiations for a fight between Chavez and Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs), with the super middleweight limit of 168-pounds as the battleground. The negotiations fell apart when Chavez was embroiled in a legal dispute with former promoter Top Rank.

Chavez Jr. is still very interested in getting in the ring with Golovkin, and Roach likes that fight as well. The veteran coach feels Chavez - in proper shape and well trained - could test the abilities of Golovkin.

“Chavez is bigger and stronger and if he really got himself into perfect shape, that’s a fight that I think would be good,” Roach said.

Chavez Jr. will likely return in the summer, with former Golovkin foe Gabe Rosado being mentioned as a potential opponent.