WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee said he would like to fight IBF, IBO and WBA middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin after the Irishman’s fight against Billy Joe Saunders on Dec. 19 at the Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom.

Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs), who will fight for his first official title defence since winning the belt a year ago, said he wants a unification bout with Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs), insisting that he is the only one who can give the undefeated Kazakh a “serious challenge.”

"But I believe I am the only one who can give him a serious challenge out there. I have the size, the punch and the boxing ringcraft,” Lee told Sky Sports. “You have to be an animal if you want to beat an animal. And I'd do that."

However, Lee understands he would have to go through Saunders (22-0, 12 KOs) first before potentially setting up a match with “GGG,” which could possibly be early next year as Golovkin will have a voluntary title defence before facing WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in September. However, according to Scott Gilfoid of Boxing News 24, getting past a fighter like Saunders is not an easy thing to do.

“I really have serious doubts that Lee is going to win this fight, because he’s looked less than spectacular in his last four fights,” Gilfoid wrote. “Lee has been out of the ring for the last eight months since his 12 round draw against Peter Quillin in April 2015.”

While there is also interest from Golovkin to face Lee, the Kazakh knockout artist has other options when he returns to boxing action in April. According to K2 Promotions managing director Tom Loeffler, Golovkin also considers the likes of Daniel Jacobs and Tureano Johnson for his next fight.

The WBC has given Alvarez another extension to negotiate with mandatory challenger Golovkin for the middleweight title belt. According to the statement released by the governing body on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), Alvarez, as well as "GGG," will be allowed to take on a voluntary title defence in May 2016. The WBC also stated that both fighters will be required to negotiate immediately after their next fight or beginning on a window that starts on May 31, 2016.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.

RELATED STORIES