By Edward Chaykovsky
According to middleweight contender Curtis Stevens (25-3, 18KOs), a deal has been reached to challenge WBA/IBO champion Gennady Golovkin (27-0, 24KOs) on November 2nd in an HBO televised fight at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden. Stevens, with his own one-punch power, will represent the deadliest threat to Golovkin's run. Stevens, a former super middleweight with a muscular build, has knocked out three of his last four opponents in the first round. Golovkin has not reached a decision since June 2008, stopping his last fourteen opponents.
Golovkin's trainer, Abel Sanchez, confirmed Stevens' information to reporter Chris Mannix of SI.com, stating that a deal was going to be officially announced in the next few days.
“He wasn’t my choice, he was just talking so much smack,” Sanchez said. “With the fight at being at the Garden, with Stevens being a Brooklyn boy, it made a lot of sense to [K2's] Tom [Loeffler]. He thought it sounds like a great fight. Stevens, he just keeps talking. He thinks he is the next coming of Carlos Monzon.”