Golovkin on Canelo’s 155lbs demand “This is not respect to boxing!”

By Boxing News - 02/17/2016 - Comments

golovkin#236By Tim Fletcher: IBF/IBO/WBA middleweight champion Gennady “Triple G” Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) says he thinks that WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) is disrespecting the sport of boxing with his demands for a catch-weight of 155lbs when defending his WBC middleweight title.

Golovkin feels that Canelo is more than ready to fight at the full weight for the middleweight division without the need of a catch-weight handicap of 155lbs. Golovkin sees it totally disrespectful for the 25-year-old Canelo asking to fight at a catch-weight.

There’s talk that Canelo will give Golovkin a take it or leave it offer regarding the 155lb catch-weight that he’s been fighting at. If Golovkin wants the fight against him, he might need to agree to a catch-weight of 155lbs.

If Golovkin doesn’t agree to the 155lb catch-weight, then Canelo could either vacate his WBC middleweight title or possibly wait for the World Boxing Council to give him permission to use the 155lb catch-weight for all of his defenses. It would be a new rule by the WBC, but they’d be able to make that rule if they wanted to appease the highly popular Canelo.

“This is a big present to the people,” Golovkin said to Fighthub.com. “I don’t know [why Wade didn’t show at the press conference on Tuesday]. I’m a boxer. I want unification. I want big fight. Right now, I respect Dominic Wade because he’s ready. He’s the IBF mandatory challenger. It’s very important to me. I have a lot of respect to the mandatory. Why not. I understand I have time. I feel great. I think he’s [Canelo] ready. This is a business fight. I’m not thinking a lot about this fight. My focus is just Dominic Wade. I bring good event to California people, to boxing people, because I bring two great fights, Chocolatito and my fight,” said Golovkin.

Golovkin’s next challenger, Dominic Wade, failed to show up at Tuesday’s Los Angeles press conference to hype their April 23 fight at the Forum in Inglewood, California. It’s unclear why Wade failed to appear at the press conference. There’s a second press conference scheduled this Thursday in New York. If Wade fails to show up at this press conference as well, then that would be something to be concerned about.

YouTube video

When asked what his opinion is about Canelo potentially asking him to fight at a 155lb catch-weight, Golovkin said “Why 155? Why 140? This is not middleweight belt. My focus is on middleweight division. I need all the belts in the middleweight division. This is not respect to boxing; not respect to people. This is not respect. Right now, he’s a great champion in the middleweight division. The middleweight division is 160,” said Golovkin.

Canelo might choose to use the 155lb catch-weight for the Golovkin fight, because it would give Canelo the ability to back out of the fight with an excuse. If Golovkin says no to Canelo’s 155lb catch-weight, then it would give him the perfect excuse for why he doesn’t need to take the fight.



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