By Allan Fox: WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (29-0, 26 KO’s) will be fighting on July 26th at Madison Square Garden in New York against an opponent still to be determined. Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions is going to make a request to the World Boxing Association to get permission for Golovkin to bypass #2 WBA Jarrod Fletcher, who the WBA recently ordered Golovkin to fight next, for him to get a more interesting fight against former IBF/WBA middleweight champion Daniel Geale 30-2, 16 KO’s) on July 26th.
“GGG says he will fight twice more this year. Wants to continue to stay active #boxing,” said Steve Kim. “Loeffler says they have filed a special request to the WBA for GGG to face Danny Geale next. GGG to fight on July 26th at MSG according to Tom Loeffler.”
Golovkin was planning on fighting Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. next, but that fight went up in smoke due to Chavez Jr. not agreeing to some of the contract particulars from his promoter.
Geale is known to hardcore boxing fans in the U.S, and somewhat known by casual fans. He’s fought once on American television in losing to Darren Barker last year. It wasn’t a good performance from Geale, and HBO would have to hope that boxing fans in the U.S. have a short memory. If they have any recall of the Geale-Barker fight, they won’t like the idea of Golovkin fighting Geale because they’ll see Geale as just a weak puncher without any chance at all of beating Golovkin.
HBO can reject Geale as an opponent for Golovkin, but there’s really not much else for Golovkin to fight then. The division is an empty one as far as talented fighters go once you get past the champions Sergio Martinez, Felix Sturm and Peter Quillin. Geale is a former champion, and Golovkin could use a victory over him to add another scalp to his resume.
Fletcher would be a really poor opponent for Golovkin to face, because he’s unknown in the U.S, he’s fought mostly C level opposition during his career, and he was stopped by Billy Joe Saunders in the 2nd round two years ago. This wouldn’t be an upgrade from Golovkin’s last opponent Osumanu Adama.
Unless Golovkin can get fights against guys like Quillin, Sergio Martinez, and Sturm, there’s really no one interesting for Golovkin to fight in the 160 lb division. He can fight Martin Murray if he ever agrees to the fight, but even that’s not a big fight. The U.S boxing public doesn’t know who Murray is other than the hardcore fans. Golovkin is going to need to move up in weight to fight guys like Carl Froch, George Groves, Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward and James DeGale for him to get interesting opponents.
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