The middleweight title fight between Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata has been postponed after Japan announced travel restrictions due to the Omicron coronavirus variant.

The bout was slated for Dec. 29 in Saitama, Japan, and was to be broadcast live in the United States by DAZN. At stake would have been the WBA middleweight belt belonging to Murata (16-2, 13 knockouts), who would be making his second defense, and first since December of 2019.

“I am deeply disappointed that fight in Japan has been postponed but the health and safety of the public must always be the priority,” Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KOs) tweeted late Thursday night.

“I look forward to returning to the ring against Ryōta as soon as possible.”

I am deeply disappointed that fight in Japan has been postponed but the health and safety of the public must always be the priority. I look forward to returning to the ring against Ryōta as soon as possible.

— Gennadiy Golovkin (@GGGBoxing) December 3, 2021

Japan announced Monday that it would ban inbound travelers from all countries for a month, though Japanese citizens and those with resident visas can still return to the country, provided that they quarantine at an approved facility.

The restrictions all but certainly will affect other bouts slated for Japan in the month of December, which include the junior bantamweight title unification bout between Kazuto Ioka and Jerwin Ancajas, which was scheduled for New Year’s Eve in Tokyo, as well as Naoya Inoue’s bout with Aran Dipaen on December 14.

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