FORMER world middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr wants to get back to the top of the sport as he prepares to end a 17 month hiatus this weekend when he fights Dominik Britsch.
Chavez, son of Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Snr, will fight Britsh at a 169lb catchweight – one pound over the super-middleweight limit – in Mexico on Saturday night.
Chavez Jnr has not fought since a 10-round decision win over Marcos Reyes in July 2015, which followed an upset retirement loss to Andrzej Fonfara at light-heavyweight.
“I am very happy to be able to return to the ring after such a long time, and also to return to Mexico to fight,” Chavez said. “I want to get back to the top of the sport and this will be a good fight to start my road back towards a championship fight.”
“Britsch is a good boxer. He is fast and moves well in the ring,” Chavez said. “This fight will tell me a lot about where I am at this stage of my career. He’s a good opponent and should be a very good fight for the fans in Monterrey.”
During the run-up to his ring return Chavez has called out several fighters, most namely middleweight terror Gennady Golovkin.
First, he must get past Britsch who himself hasn’t fought since January. The German was scheduled to challenge WBO world super-middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez before the Mexican had to withdraw from the fight through injury.
“This fight is a great opportunity for me,” Britsch said. “I will be facing a [former] world champion who is very popular and a victory over Chavez Jr. will open a lot of doors for me in the international boxing market. I am here to win and take home a victory.”
