By Keith Idec
Gennady Golovkin’s handlers haven’t settled on a site, either.
According to a Los Angeles Times report Monday, they’re considering moving Golovkin’s May 5 fight against an undetermined opponent from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to StubHub Center in Carson, California. Golovkin was supposed to meet Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez in a much-anticipated middleweight championship rematch on Cinco de Mayo at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission approved a venue switch Thursday – from T-Mobile Arena to the nearby, slightly smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena – now that Golovkin will defend his IBF, IBO, WBA and WBC middleweight titles against someone other than Alvarez. There is concern among organizers, though, that selling a substantial amount of tickets for Golovkin against a lesser opponent than the very popular Alvarez would be difficult on such short notice in Las Vegas.
Kazakhstan’s Golovkin has drawn well several times for fights against low-profile opponents in the Los Angeles area. His second-round knockout of Mexico’s Marco Antonio Rubio drew a capacity crowd of 9,323 to StubHub Center in October 2014, a record for boxing at that outdoor venue.
The 36-year-old Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) also resides in the Los Angeles area.
Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, still hasn’t settled on Golovkin’s opponent for May 5, nearly a week after Alvarez officially withdrew from their HBO Pay-Per-View event due to his impending suspension for twice failing performance-enhancing drug tests for clenbuterol in February.
The top options are Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (27-2, 19 KOs) and Sergiy Derevyanchenko (12-0, 10 KOs).
Ireland’s O’Sullivan, who is co-promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, reportedly is the preferred opponent within Golovkin’s camp. Ukraine’s Derevyanchenko, however, is the mandatory challenger for Golovkin’s IBF title.
Lou DiBella, Derevyanchenko’s promoter, has petitioned the IBF to either force Golovkin to make his mandatory defense against Derevyanchenko on May 5 or strip Golokvin of his IBF 160-pound championship.
Golovkin last made a mandatory defense of his IBF crown in April 2016, when he knocked out Dominic Wade in the second round at The Forum in Inglewood, California. It is the IBF’s turn in its rotation with the WBA and WBC to have Golovkin make a mandatory defense of its middleweight title.
Mexican prospect Jamie Munguia (28-0, 24 KOs) was willing to step in for Alvarez as well. The NSAC wasn’t willing to approve Munguia as Alvarez’s replacement because the 21-year-old fighter hasn’t faced a high level of opposition and has mostly fought as a welterweight and junior middleweight since turning pro in July 2013.
Theoretically, the California State Athletic Commission could approve Munguia as Golovkin’s opponent if the event is indeed moved to StubHub Center.
2023-10-20 19:09:11
