By Radio Rahim
WBA/IBO/IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (34-0, 31KOs) is very confused with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's position of demanding a catch-weight of 155-pounds for a potential fall showdown.
Canelo captured the vacant WBC championship last November with a twelve round unanimous decision over former four division beltholder Miguel Cotto.
Even before that fight took place, the World Boxing Council ordered the winner to face Golovkin in a mandatory defense.
Golovkin became the mandatory challenger by capturing the WBC interim title with a knockout of Marco Antonio Rubio in the fall of 2014.
Canelo (46-1-1, 32KOs) fought Cotto at 155. The Mexican superstar's last four fights have taken place at 155. And his upcoming fight with Amir Khan, on May 7th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will also take place at 155.
After weeks of discussions, the WBC issued an order which allowed both boxers to take an interim fight before a mandatory fall showdown. Canelo then finalized the upcoming fight with Khan.
Golovkin has a mandatory obligation of his own. He has to face unbeaten Dominic Wade on April 23rd at The Forum in Los Angeles. The winners of Canelo-Khan and Golovkin-Wade will have to face each other in the fall.
If and when the fight takes place - Golovkin is only going to do it at the full middleweight limit of 160-pounds. Because he is the mandatory challenger to the title, he is not obligated (like a voluntary challenger) to agree to any catch-weight demands. If Canelo refuses to fight him, the WBC will remove him from the title and elevate Golovkin to the status of full champion.
"Absolutely [the fight will only happen] at 160, because he is middleweight champion. He is not junior middleweight champion. Middleweight champion is 160. You know this is crazy...I know middleweight is 160," Golovkin told BoxingScene.com.
