By Carlos Boogs

WBC, IBO, WBA, IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (36-0, 33KOs) announced on the social networks that a deal was finalized to face mandatory challenger Daniel Jacobs (32-1, 29KOs).

Golovkin says the fight is now signed, sealed and delivered for HBO Pay-Per-View on March 18th at New York's Madison Square Garden.

The two sides were working overtime to reach a deal, because the World Boxing Association had scheduled a purse bid for this coming Monday, December 19th, in Panama. Golovkin holds the WBA's super title at 160-pounds, while Jacobs is the WBA's "regular" champion.

Golovkin only fought twice in 2016. He usually fights at least three to four times per year. Golovkin blasted out Dominic Wade in two rounds back in April and then stopped IBF welterweight champion Kelly Brook in five rounds in September.

He was scheduled to fight on December 10th, but the return date was pushed back to March after the negotiations with Jacobs dragged on longer than expected.

Golovkin took the social networks to make the big announcement.

"It's official, I'm fighting Danny Jacobs on March 18 at MSG @thegarden NY on HBO ppv, see you there," Golovkin wrote.

Jacobs was also in action back in September, after blasting right through former world champion Sergio Mora in their rematch.

The match will be Golovkin's second appearance on pay-per-view as a headliner. He made his HBO PPV debut last September, also from MSG in New York, when he stopped David Lemieux to unify the IBF/WBO/WBA world titles. The pay-per-view did not perform at a high level, with some claiming that it didn't break 100,000 buys. It will be interesting to see if this fight will do higher numbers. Jacobs is more popular than Lemieux in the United States, known to the American boxing fans, and he's been featured on HBO/Showtime and various PBC related networks for several years.