Gennady Golovkin is expected to fight on April 23. And no, it will not be against Canelo.
Boxing manager Cameron Dunkin informed BoxingScene.com that his fighter, former WBO World middleweight title contender Matt Korobov (25-1, 14 KO’s), is ready to take on the WBA/IBF/IBO/WBC interim middleweight champion.
Two possible locations for the fight include The Forum in Los Angeles and an undetermined venue in Texas.
“I got a call yesterday asking if we were interested and I spoke to Matt about it, and he said yes. We are very interested. He just fought Saturday, but he is already back in the gym,” Dunkin told BoxingScene.com’s Ryan Burton.
Following a sixth-round TKO at the hands of ex-middleweight champion Andy Lee in December 2014, the 33-year-old did not fight in 2015.
Last week, however, Korobov defeated unknown Josue Ovando in an eight-round unanimous decision victory.
Korobov’s amateur record was just outstanding.
Going along with a record of 300-12, Korobov was a two-time gold medalist in the World Amateur Championships, in 2005 and 2007, a gold medalist at the 2006 European Amateur Championships in Bulgaria, and a 2005 gold medalist at the 2005 Boxing World Cup in Moscow.
Some of his most memorable wins came against notable fighters like Daniel Jacobs, Jarrod Fletcher, the late Darren Sutherland, Emilio Correa Jr., Ismayl Sillakh, Sergiy Derevyanchenko, and numerous others.
Korobov knocked down Jacobs with a big straight left hand at one point in their fight.
However, when the Russian met the Kazakh in the 2003 World Amateur Championships, he was unable to get the victory.
Golovkin took gold in the World Amateur Championships in Bangkok, Thailand with a points victory over Korobov.
Before the match, Golovkin also handed Andy Lee a one-sided loss.
If the fight happens, the bigger man would be Korobov, a natural super-middleweight.
Although he fought his amateur career as a middleweight, only five of his 26 professional bouts have been at 160 pounds.
Golovkin has not had much luck in finding an opponent.
In the buildup to the Andy Lee-Billy Joe Saunders fight, the British fighter admitted that he fancied his chances with any fighter at 160, with the exception of Golovkin.
“And I’m the sort of fighter who wants to win every single fight I fight in, and I know I can beat every 160. On my day I know I can beat the, – but minus him [GGG].”
Last July, I even predicted that if Saunders beat Lee, which he did, K2 Promotions, Golovkin’s promoter would try to persuade the new champion with money to take a big fight.
It played out exactly like that, except Saunders requested more money, and nothing came of it.
The next one in line was Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KO’s). However, just this past Wednesday, it was reported that Johnson suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery.
On Friday afternoon, confirmed the news.
“A big letdown, but it’s true,” Johnson said in response to Twitter user @KaizerBOX, who asked if the injury was legitimate.
As a result, Golovkin was left with even fewer options.
Although there is no deal currently in place, Dunkin affirmed his fighter is interested in the fight.
We shall see what transpires.
– Ryan O’Hara / @OHarasports
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