By Radio Rahim
Promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions explained to BoxingScene.com as to why his star fighter, WBA/IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (33-0, 30KOs), will not accept a catch-weight for a potential unification with WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto (40-4, 33KOs).
Cotto has received a lot of heat from boxing fans and pundits, because his middleweight run has been built on the back of catch-weight fights.
There was a catch-weight of 159 when Cotto unseated Sergio Martinez for the middleweight crown last year. There was a catch-weight of 157 when Cotto stopped Daniel Geale two months ago, and there will be a catch-weight of 155 when Cotto takes on Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez on November 21.
Unlike those three fighters, Golovkin - by way of winning the WBC's interim title last year - is the mandatory challenger to Cotto's crown.
If Golovkin defeats David Lemieux on October 17th and Cotto retains against Canelo, the two fighters will fall in line for a mandatory showdown.
Because it's a mandatory showdown, Golovkin is under no obligation to fight at a catch-weight. Cotto will be forced to fight him at the division limit or vacate his world title. Even the two sides go to a purse bid, win or lose, the fight would be set at the middleweight limit of 160.
"I'll tell you the difference. Miguel has received a lot of criticism for requiring these different catch-weights. When he fought Sergio Martinez...Sergio was not obligated to fight him so Sergio agreed to 159-pounds. Then when Daniele Geale agreed to take the fight at 157-pounds, he voluntarily agreed to that. Now that they've negotiated 155-pounds [for Canelo], they both voluntarily agreed to it," Loeffler explained to BoxingScene.com.
"But when you have a mandate, and you have to defend the middleweight title at the middleweight limit, then as far as the weight is concerned, from our perspective, there is no reason to negotiate the weight. We can negotiate a lot of the other factors or we can go to a purse bid."