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GGG could fight in June despite Golden Boy concerns for fall

Photo by: Tom Hogan/ Hoganphotos/K2 Promotions
Fighters Network
13
Mar

Promoter Tom Loeffler believes Gennady Golovkin could fight in June in his native Kazakstan after Saturday’s bout with Danny Jacobs and still have plenty of time to promote a fall blockbuster with Canelo Alvarez, despite comments from Canelo’s promoter frowning upon a June bout for Golovkin.

Golden Boy President Eric Gomez told RingTV.com last week a fight in June for Golovkin would jeopardize plans for a September bout between Golovin and Canelo because there won’t be enough time to hype the fall bout. Multiple sources have indicated to RING that Golovkin is in advanced discussions to face Billy Joe Saunders June 10 in Kazakhstan for Golovkin’s WBC/IBF/WBA middleweight titles and Saunders’ WBO title. Loeffler seemed to suggest on Monday he’s not going to wait around for Golden Boy to agree to a deal for the fall at the expense of Golovkin’s fighting timetable after he fought just twice last year.

“There’s a lot of different speculation out there,” Loeffler told a small group of reporters before the final press conference on Monday for Golovkin-Jacobs Saturday at Madison Square Garden on HBO PPV. “Based on the experience of last year, we can’t wait for other people to decide. If there’s an opportunity for him to fight in June, he will. There’s plenty of time to promote a fight in September if that’s the case. But certainly, nothing is signed for any future fight so we’re waiting to see what happens. If it’s possible for him to fight in June in Kazakhstan, he would certainly like to do that and if he can fight Canelo in September he’d like to do that as well.” Loeffler added of a June bout that would be on regular HBO, “We can’t base (Golovkin’s) schedule on something that might happen in September.”

Loeffler said there was no update on the negotiations between Golovkin (36-0, 33 knockouts) and promoter Golden Boy. Canelo is scheduled to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on May 6 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at a catch-weight of 164.5 pounds.



“With Golden Boy, we’re still in regular communication with Eric Gomez,” Loeffler said. “There’s still no update. If we can make the fight, we’ll certainly do it. Gennady has said he wants to fight Canelo since last year — since Canelo called him in the ring after the fight (with Amir Khan). If there’s a way to make it for September — everything I’ve heard from Golden Boy is they’ve always said September of this year. So there’s no reason for me to question that.”

Asked if he thought he will face Canelo later this year, Golovkin shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. For me it doesn’t matter,” he said, clearly exasperated with the discussion of Canelo, who vacated a title last year to avoid a deadline to make a deal to face Golovkin. “My focus right now is on Daniel Jacobs. Canelo is a different story.”

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