A deal is close but not signed for middleweight standout Curtis “Showtime” Stevens to fight WBA 160-pound titleholder Gennady Golovkin on Nov. 2 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, according to both boxers’ camps.

“We don’t have a signed fight yet,” said Loeffler. “I would say that it looks good, but that it’s not signed, so I can’t officially announce it.”

Stevens’ promoter, Kathy Duva, president of Main Events, returned from Saturday’s trip to Cardiff, Wales, where her fighter, Sergey Kovalev, scored a fourth-round knockout that dethroned Nathan Cleverly as WBO light heavyweight titleholder.

“It looks very good,” said Duva of a deal for Stevens, who signed with Main Events before earning an eight-round unanimous decision over Derrick Findley in April.

“We are still going back and forth on the contract and hope to have it signed this week. At that point, an announcement will be made.”

As previously reported by RingTV, Stevens (25-3, 18 knockouts) caught Loeffler’s attention by calling out Golovkin (27-0, 24 KOs) 10 days prior to his first-round stoppage of Saul Roman, after which Loeffler said Stevenson “might get his wish.”

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]