Golovkin's Promoter: Gilberto Ramirez is Most Likely Fight at 168

By Radio Rahim

WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez is the most likely super middleweight opponent for Gennady Golovkin in 2017, according to the middleweight's promoter Tom Loeffler of K2 Promotions.

Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) will return on September 10th, when he defends his WBA/IBO/IBF/WBC middleweight titles against Kell Brook at the O2 Arena in London.

Ramirez suffered a hand injury last month that knocked him off the July 23rd event from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which featured Terence Crawford vs. Viktor Postol in the main event.

Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes Ramirez, spoke with Loeffler about the possibility of staging a 2017 showdown between their two boxers.

Ramirez is hoping to return in the fall, but that is not a given. Golovkin, should everything go well in September, is planning to fight again on a date in November or December.

When reviewing all of the potential fights at 168, Loeffler tabs Ramirez as the most likely, and the most willing, to face Golovkin in the ring.

"Right now there is not really a fight that makes sense at 168. [IBF champion James] DeGale is supposedly fighting [WBC champion Badou] Jack. And then there is Ramirez. Bob told me that Ramirez is interested in fighting Gennady next year, so that - in my opinion - is the most likely fight to happen at 168. He's a great champion. An undefeated fighter from Mexico. He had a great win over Arthur Abraham. So if that fight can happen, it would be a great fight on both sides. So I think that might be the most likely fight at this time," Loeffler said.

Loeffler also emphasized that Golovkin is NOT looking past Brook. It's Loeffler's job, as the promoter, to look a few steps ahead.

"It's my job to look forward and make these fights. Gennady is going to be focused on September 10th," Loeffler said.