By Dan Ambrose: The negotiations between IBF/IBO/WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin’s promoters at K2 Promotions and WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders’ promoter Frank Warren must be completed by January 19th of next week or else the International Boxing Federation will order Golovkin to face his #1 IBF mandatory challenger Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) next, according to Dan Rafael.
As of now, the IBF will permit Golovkin to face the 26-year-old Saunders next in a unification fight provided that the deal is reached by next week on 1/19 at the latest. If the deal still isn’t reached by that time, then the IBF will order Golovkin to face the 31-year-old Tureano next.