Golovkin to follow through with mandatory challenger next?

Is former Undisputed Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin really serious that he wants to fight his mandatory challenger instead of third mega-fight with Canelo Alvarez, when boxing resumes later this year?

Well, on Wednesday Golovkin said as much, but, we’re left to wonder if he’s truly wanting to follow through with his commitment to fight Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta or if this is posturing to get the best deal possible for a GGG – Canelo III, this fall?

Golovkin talked with boxing reporter Greg Bishop of SI.com:

.@GGGBoxing tells @SInow that he hopes to fight as soon as possible in 2020 but that his first bout will not be against Canelo Alvarez. Story: https://t.co/noePRjQOHS

— Greg Bishop (@GregBishopSI) May 6, 2020

“I made a commitment before all this situation with coronavirus happened,” Golovkin said to Bishop. “I’m talking about my fight with Szeremeta. I intend to keep my word. Once the situation changes, as soon as everything is back to normal, I intend to have this fight first.” 

Golovkin was to have fought Szeremeta, the IBF number one Contender at 160 lb., back in February or March. However, he suffered a calf injury in training that delayed the fight.

Obviously, the Covid-19 outbreak in the United States happened in the second week in March and basically, shut down all of professional sports indefinitely.

And, that not only left because Golovkin – Szeremeta fight in limbo, but it did the same with Canelo’s planned challenge to WBO Super Middleweight champion, Billy Joe Saunders, that was to have been last weekend in Las Vegas.

That fight is now not only postponed, but may never happen, as Saunders has since gotten himself suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control for comments he made joking about domestic violence on a social media video in March.

It’s very likely that Alvarez will simply look to move on another fight later this year, and it was believed that fight would be against GGG.

As we wrote previously, the third battle is most lucrative and intriguing fight for both of these guys is a third showdown. Canelo and Golovkin fought to a thrilling and controversial draw in September of 2017 or Golovkin retained the Undisputed Middleweight Championship.

However, Alvarez handed him his first pro loss by a narrow and again controversial split decision in the rematch 12 months later.

Of course, now one enormous variable that is still unknown is: where can this fight be held later in 2020, where at least some fans might be able to attend?

Both, of the previous fights play to sold-out audiences and generated humongous revenue in live gate for Golden Boy Promotions, who handles Alvarez.

One other factor is “Father Time,” as Golovkin just turned 38 years old last month. He was last in the ring in October and struggled, looking less like the GGG in his prime with Russian Sergey Derevyanchenko before winning a 12 round decision to recapture the IBF Middleweight belt.

And, the longer we wait for the potential third fight with Alvarez, you have to wonder what kind of reflexes and stamina he will have against a younger Canelo?