Gennady Golovkin: Canelo a better fighter now than few years ago

IBF, IBO and WBA middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin recently admitted that WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is a better fighter “now than a few years ago.”

Golovkin, the mandatory challenger for Alvarez’s WBC middleweight belt, insisted that he really wants to fight the Mexican champ in the boxing ring. The two boxers are slated to square off next year after each of them takes on a voluntary defence, with Golovkin in March or April and Alvarez in May.

“Of course I want that fight,” Golovkin said, reports Boxing Scene. “He’s a great fighter. Canelo is much better [now] than a few years ago.”

“GGG” has yet to confirm his next opponent, but there were reports last week that Golovkin was waiting for the winner between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders.

“Loeffler and Golovkin are currently waiting for the smoke to clear from this Saturday’s fight in the UK between Billy Joe Saunders and WBO 160lb belt holder Andy Lee,” Dan Ambrose of Boxing News 24 wrote. “Loeffler would like to match Golovkin against the winner of that fight.”

Saunders won the bout via 12-round majority decision, but the British middleweight has stated in an interview with iFL TV that he has no immediate plans of facing the Kazakh knockout artist unless there is big money involved on the table. If Saunders would not be available for Golovkin early next year, the undefeated Kazakh could also set up a match against other middleweight champs like Danie Jacobs and Tureano Johnson, whom Loeffler also described as potential future opponents for Golovkin.

Meanwhile, Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs), who plans to take on Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) in September 2016, is leaning toward a voluntary title defence against British boxer Amir Khan. In an interview with KO Artist Sports Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, he said he would not mind seeing Alvarez go against the Bolton welterweight in May, when Alvarez is scheduled to take his first fight of 2016.

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