Andrzej Fonfara (right) tags Doudou Ngumbu. Photo by Naoki Fukuda

CHICAGO – Following a Thursday press conference, Andrzej Fonfara sat in the lobby of a hotel bar to watch his beloved Polish national soccer team as they took on Germany in the Euro 2016 group stage. Surrounded by 25 people in his entourage, Fonfara was relaxed.

The noise from his entourage, which seems to be growing by the press conference, is nothing new. Since beating journeyman Glen Johnson in July 2012, Fonfara (28-3, 16 knockouts) has established a steady following in Chicago.

On Saturday, he will headline a “PBC on NBC” card in Chicago, this time fighting Joe Smith Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) at the UIC Pavilion.

But while he’s set to take on Smith, Fonfara, who is rated No. 8 by THE RING at 175 pounds, admitted he has his eyes on a rematch with WBC light heavyweight titleholder Adonis Stevenson.

“It’s maybe a little bit (frustrating) but I have to do my job,” Fonfara said. “The chance to fight Stevenson will come. I think Stevenson will beat (Thomas Williams) and maybe we can get the rematch in December.

“Stevenson doesn’t want to fight with me. I don’t know why. He chose Williams right now,” he added.

Two years ago, Fonfara traveled to Montreal and lost a unanimous decision to Stevenson, then also the RING champion, in a fight in which both fighters hit the canvas. Fonfara said he wants the rematch because he’s one of the only fighters to last the distance with Stevenson, in addition to sending him down in Round 9.

Since then, Fonfara has rebounded quite nicely, stopping Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in eight rounds and is coming off a highly entertaining unanimous decision win over Nathan Cleverly. In the Cleverly fight, both fighters set the CompuBox record for most punches thrown in a light heavyweight bout.

Together Cleverly and Fonfara threw 2,524 punches and landed 936. Fonfara threw 1,413 punches and landed 474. It’s a pace Fonfara credits to conditioning, which he insists is excellent once again. The 28-year-old said he spent two weeks in Big Bear, California, before relocating to training camp in Houston, Texas, for three more.

“Saturday night after Cleverly, I went out with my friends to celebrate the win and party,” Fonfara said about the pace. “Like I say before, I feel more sore after the Chavez fight in nine rounds than after Cleverly. I feel good right now. I feel great.”

At the same time, Cleverly landed 462 punches. It’s why Sam Colonna, Fonfara’s trainer, said defense has been more of the focus for the Smith fight.

“(Fonfara) took some punches but thank God Cleverly couldn’t punch,” Colonna said, later adding, “(Improving defense) is easier said then done but it’s stuff that we’ve worked on. He needs to get better at it, to get to a higher level.”

Colonna, however, said they are ready for a Stevenson rematch if it were to materialize. He expressed some frustration with the process too.

“I don’t want to say there’s a run-around because they’re keeping us active but we were supposed to fight in March,” he said. “I hope they do what they say because it’s always ‘the next fight.’ We’re ready.”

As for how the relatively unknown Smith was identified, Warriors Boxing President Leon Margules, who promotes Fonfara, said it came down to a lack of options. He said Joe DeGuardia approached them and they took the fight.

Margules said, after initially discussing a Stevenson fight in the winter, they were told “not yet.” Among the names also discussed were Chad Dawson, Eleider Alvarez, Edwin Rodriguez and Thomas Williams.

Margules said they even would have fought IBF/WBA/WBO titlist Sergey Kovalev if he chose to fight in the US instead of going to Russia to fight Isaac Chilemba.

“There was a lot of people discussed but when you start looking at it, and the talent at 175, Joe is about as good as anybody left when you get rid of the top three or four,” Margules said. “I would challenge the media to say, ‘Who should we have fought?’ knowing who we can’t fight.”

That being said, the pushback on the PBC on NBC series, and Haymon cards in general, is the main event hasn’t been worthy enough to be a headliner. PBC on NBC has particularly struggled in the ratings, considering the prime time spot. After drawing a strong 3.2 million people in its debut in March 2015, its most recent outing, Errol Spence versus Chris Algieri, drew an average of 1.2 million viewers.

Asked why Fonfara-Smith should be a headliner on NBC, Margules pointed to Fonfara’s marketability.

“Fonfara deserves to be the main event,” Margules said. “He’s truly one of the two or three best, if not the best, light heavyweight in the world. He’s in his prime. He found the best available fighter and that’s why he’s the main event.”

And as Fonfara waits for another opportunity with Stevenson, Margules said there was no reason his fighter should be frustrated.

“He’s showcasing on NBC in his hometown. He’s thrilled. He’s making a living,” Margules said. “Why should he be frustrated? He’s 28 years old. His opportunity is coming. By attrition, it’s coming.”

Warren (r) happy as a pro. Photo: Naoki Fukuda

WARREN WEIGHS IN ON PROS IN OLYMPICS

The Olympics are in the rearview for Rau’shee Warren. Warren, who is trying to avenge a loss to Juan Carlos Payano in the co-main event, said that he won’t be tempted to compete in the Olympics after a recent ruling by the AIBA made professional boxers eligible to qualify.

Warren (13-1, 4 KOs) has three previous stints in the Olympics but never earned a gold medal in any of them. He said while he still thinks about not winning a gold medal occasionally, he’s satisfied with his pro career.

“I’m over the Olympics,” Warren said. “Most of the time, it felt like they weren’t fair with the US team. I don’t feel like its going to be top pros going to the Olympics. It will be fighters with five-to-10 fights that will try and get their name out there.”

Lubin fighting for Orlando. Photo: Larry Marano

LUBIN DEDICATES FIGHT TO ORLANDO

Prospect Erickson Lubin was at his girlfriend’s house in his hometown of Orlando when he noticed on social media that a shooting had erupted at Pulse nightclub, which resulted in 49 people being killed in the worst mass shooting in US history. He fights journeyman Daniel Sandoval in the opening televised fight.

“I thought, ‘Who would do something like that?’ and it was heartbreaking,” Lubin said. “I’m focused on my fight but I want to dedicate my fight to all the victims that lost their lives.”

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