By Steve Kim

Former junior middleweight champion, and now top middleweight contender, Demetrius Andrade (25-0, 16 KOs) - and his team - have pushed hard to replace Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez as the opponent for IBF, WBC, WBA, IBO champion Gennady Golovkin on May 5th.

It looks like they will not be getting that assignment for the time being. So what's plan B?

Matt Rowland of Banner Promotions (which co-promotes Andrade alongside Star Boxing) said to BoxingScene.com - "Right now we want to see what happens with Golovkin. He shouldn't be fighting the guys that they're talking about for the IBF title."

Derevyachenko (12-0, 10 KOs) is the IBF's top rated contender and he and his representatives are pressing the sanctioning body to have Golovkin take care of this mandatory defense immediately. There is a chance that Golovkin could be stripped of his IBF belt.

The situation with Derevyachenko has put Golovkin's back against the wall and may even force him postpone his next return in order to avoid losing the belt. The IBF has yet to make a ruling on the matter.

"If everything bounces are our way, Andrade and Derevyanchenko for the IBF vacant title," said Rowland, of this pairing that nearly came to fruition but fell apart as HBO seemed to change their mind in being involved with Andrade.

But Rowland mentioned - "There are plenty of people interested in broadcasting that fight - including ESPN."

As BoxingScene previously reported, Top Rank - who have an exclusive content deal with ESPN - are now pursuing programming for the network and even made a play to secure Golovkin's next fight.

Andrade was last in the ring back in October, when he made his middleweight debut by winning a twelve round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Alantez Fox.

And Derevyanchenko had a stay busy fight back in March, when he stopped rugged journeyman Dashon Johnson in March.

Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.