By Michael Woods
Holiday plans are being finalized as we speak, with the forgetful and the procrastintaors in sweaty-brow mode, running to the pharmacy to score gift cards to Target and the like…
In the boxing sphere, planning is happening too, with maybe a few hours off for those celebrating such traditions to enjoy a Christmas Eve feast and Christmas day lounging. Then, New Year’s beckons, and we kick into fourth gear again, in this season of ours that never ends, and the deal-makers get back to business crafting prizefights of worth and massive stakes and fan friendly appeal.
Most of them, hopefully, anyway…
At the tip-top of those will be the sequel to the first Gennady Golovkin versus Canelo Alvarez middleweight clash which unfolded on Sept. 16, 2017. Chatter is that we see them do it again on May 5, with each side looking to do what needs to be done to put a more conclusive stamp on the proceedings, and, we hope, both entering the ring looking to remove the judges from the equation.
We hope…and of course, til all contracts are signed, Ts crossed and Is dotted, all is speculation.
I checked in with Tom Loeffler, the low-key grinder who handles the lead in the GGG promotional arena.
Are we, I asked, going to see GGG wait until a Canelo sequel to fight next?
“If we can finalize the rematch, GGG will wait until May 5, otherwise he will fight in March or April,” Loeffler told BoxingScene.com. “Would have to be finalized soon… I’m in regular discussions with [Canelo's promoter] Eric Gomez and the GGG team.”
I put it to Gomez, the Golden Boy Promotions President… is he pretty confident all deets get hammered out and you all can announce Canelo v GGG rematch for May 5? “Hoping,” Gomez told me.
For those scoring at home, for the record, the king of Kazakh in the prize-fighting realm holds the WBC, WBA, IBO and the IBF 160 straps. Billy Joe Saunders has the WBO version.
If the sequel deal get finished within a frame of time to Loeffler’s liking, in what direction might GGG go in? Who the heck knows…but Jermall Charlo is rated No. 1 by the WBC, Alvarez No. 1 by the WBA, with Danny Jacobs No. 2 and Sergey Derevyanchenko is ranked No. 1 by the IBF. That info might give hints, or, frankly, might not, because all the mandated title defenses and such are so often less a rule than a regulation made of clay, molded to fit agendas and circumstances.
My three cents: My guess is that the sequel gets hammered out for a May date, and we will know this pretty soon, and will have plenty of time to discuss what or who might go down in the rematch. Readers, start your mental engines…who do you like, and why, in the Golovkin vs. Canelo rematch, should all parties come to terms and set up the most anticipated prize-fight, perhaps, of 2018?
2023-10-20 05:55:37
