Friday, March 29, 2024  |

News

Aficianado

Golovkin-Wade formally announced for April 23 in Inglewood

Fighters Network
10
Feb
Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

The second domino dropped on Wednesday in the run-up to a possible superfight between Gennady Golovkin and Saul (Canelo) Alvarez in the fall.

Golovkin (34-0, 31 knockouts) formally announced his next bout against mandatory challenger Dominic Wade on April 23 at the Forum in Inglewood, California, for Golovkin’s IBF and WBA middleweight titles on HBO.

Meanwhile, WBC middleweight champion Alvarez already announced his next fight against Amir Khan on May 7 in Las Vegas at a catchweight of 155 pounds.

So, the bouts involving Alvarez and Golovkin are more or less stay-busy bouts as a prelude to their still-hypothetical match later in the year, which has been ordered by the WBC since Golovkin is the mandatory to Alvarez by virtue of his holding the interim WBC belt. Nothing has been signed and negotiations haven’t yet taken place, however.



Golovkin-Wade isn’t expected to be very competitive. In his last fight, Wade (18-0, 12 KOs) won a split decision against trial-horse Sam Soliman in June, his only fight of 2015. Before then, he stopped Eddie Hunter (10-11-2) in two rounds. Wade’s record, while impressive, is bereft of any recognizable or notable names for the most part. Furthermore, Wade landed the matchup with Golovkin after IBF mandatory challenger Tureano Johnson was ruled unfit to box because of a shoulder injury.

“I’m happy to fight again at the Forum in front of my fans and friends in Los Angeles,” Golovkin said in a statement. “Dominic Wade is a very hungry and skilled middleweight who is undefeated and will be another big test for me.”

Wade was thankful for the chance to face Golovkin.

“I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to fight ‘GGG’ for the IBF Middleweight Championship on April 23rd! ” Wade said in the release. “I’ve worked hard my entire career to get to this point. I’m poised and ready to take on the challenge.”

Mitch Abramson can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @Mabramson13

 

SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS