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Gennady Golovkin: ‘Everybody wants this fight’

Fighters Network
07
May

LAS VEGAS – Gennady Golovkin woke up Sunday with a contract for the fight he has been seeking for years and confident that the September 16 bout with Canelo Alvarez will allow him to fulfill the dreams he had as a young boxer in Kazakhstan.

“I hope, I hope,’’ Golovkin said to THE RING and Los Angeles Times in a suite at Mandalay Bay on the morning after he showed up at T-Mobile Arena for the bout’s announcement Saturday night in the wake of Canelo’s blowout of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. “This is new story.’’

It’s the story fans, media and even Golovkin had begun to think would never be more than a mere fantasy. When asked if he had begun to give up hope, GGG said: “Yes, I think so.’’

A couple of weeks ago, everything began to change. His promotional company, K2, and Golden Boy, Canelo’s promoter, agreed to terms, according to K2’s Tom Loeffler. Then Golovkin said he signed for the middleweight title fight about a week ago.



According to Golovkin and Loeffler, GGG almost didn’t make it to T-Mobile in time for the Canelo-Chavez Jr. bout, although that might have been a good one to miss.

“Yesterday, a little bit boring,’’ GGG said of 12 rounds that included very little from Chavez and no knockdowns or knockout from Canelo. “Chavez, he couldn’t. Canelo, he wouldn’t.’’

Loeffler said GGG’s flight from Los Angeles was late. He arrived in Las Vegas at about 7:30 p.m. (PST), or about an hour before the opening bell.  What he saw in Canelo, however, impressed him. He also foresaw a tough fight in September.

“He looks good,’’ GGG said of the former junior middleweight who weighed in at 164 pounds, four more than the middleweight limit. “Everybody wants this fight. Not just me and him. Boxing needs this fight. We are about the same size and have good power. We have the same style. You know, Mexican style.’’

The Mexican appreciation of GGG’s style was evident throughout T-Mobile Saturday.

“Viva Golovkin!’’ Mexican fans shouted after the shutout – 120-108 on all three cards – of Chavez was announced. There were T-Shirts, too. They said “Mexicans for Golovkin.’’

Loeffler said he expected a lot of support from Mexican fans for GGG on September 16.

“Maybe 60-40 for Canelo,’’ Loeffler said. “Maybe 50-50.’’

Loeffler said Sunday that three sites are currently under consideration. They are: The Dallas Cowboys’ home at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., T-Mobile Arena in Vegas and Madison Square Garden in New York.  Loeffler also said there might be other possibilities that have yet to emerge.

Loeffler did not divulge any of the details of the contract, including how the financial pot would be divided. He said the talks were friendly. He also said he would have agreed on a deal with Al Haymon for a bout at super middleweight (168 pounds) with Chavez Jr. if Chavez had won.

“Canelo will be billed as the A-side,’’ he said. “”Golden Boy will be the lead promoter. We made concessions. They made concessions.’’

Loeffler also said that GGG will defend his WBC title. There’s some question about whether Canelo would accept the belt if he beat GGG. He declined to accept a specially-made WBC belt for the catchweight victory over Chavez. Canelo said last week he is angry at the WBC for the way the belt was taken from him after his victory over Khan.

“It’s up to him whether to accept it or not,’’ Loeffler said.

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