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We might finally be having a middleweight unification bout 
Source: http://www.news.com.au/sport/boxing/...-1226990888086
Massive credit goes out to Sam for avoiding all the phonies and pretenders and actually chasing a big fight.
AUSTRALIA’S world middleweight champion Sam ``King’’ Soliman says he is knocking back lucrative offers to defend his title so he can focus instead on fighting the winner of the Daniel Geale-Gennady Golovkin fight in New York on July 27 (Australian time).
``I’m getting offers from everywhere,’’ Soliman said.
``I’ve had offers to fight Andy Lee in Ireland, Anthony Mundine in Australia — I’ve had interest from Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray in the UK.
``I’ve been offered plenty of easy fights but I’m 40 now and I only want the really big fights at the end of my career. The biggest fight for me is to unify the world titles against the Geale-Golovkin winner.’’
Soliman won the IBF middleweight title, once held by Geale, when he totally dominated German Felix Sturm for a second time in May.
The victory capped an extraordinary 17-year roller-coaster career in professional boxing after early success as a Melbourne kickboxer.
Geale challenges Golovkin for the WBA title at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Soliman believing Golovkin has the power to win.
``Golovkin is the heavy favourite for a good reason,’’ Soliman said. ``If Geale is at his very best and boxes to his full potential he could pull off an upset. Golovkin will be hard to toss but no fighter is unbeatable.
``I think I have the style to frustrate Golovkin and hopefully he’ll be ready to fight me for the unified world title around November.’’
Soliman’s next mandatory challenger will be decided in an elimination fight between American Curtis Stevens, who gave Golovkin some tough moments before being knocked out at Madison Square Garden last year, and former WBO champ Hassan N’Dam of France.
A date and venue has yet to be decided.
Soliman said he expected the chunky Stevens to win the eliminator but said he wasn’t interested in facing him until 2015 after first facing Golovkin or Geale.
``I’m getting offers from everywhere,’’ Soliman said.
``I’ve had offers to fight Andy Lee in Ireland, Anthony Mundine in Australia — I’ve had interest from Matthew Macklin and Martin Murray in the UK.
``I’ve been offered plenty of easy fights but I’m 40 now and I only want the really big fights at the end of my career. The biggest fight for me is to unify the world titles against the Geale-Golovkin winner.’’
Soliman won the IBF middleweight title, once held by Geale, when he totally dominated German Felix Sturm for a second time in May.
The victory capped an extraordinary 17-year roller-coaster career in professional boxing after early success as a Melbourne kickboxer.
Geale challenges Golovkin for the WBA title at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Soliman believing Golovkin has the power to win.
``Golovkin is the heavy favourite for a good reason,’’ Soliman said. ``If Geale is at his very best and boxes to his full potential he could pull off an upset. Golovkin will be hard to toss but no fighter is unbeatable.
``I think I have the style to frustrate Golovkin and hopefully he’ll be ready to fight me for the unified world title around November.’’
Soliman’s next mandatory challenger will be decided in an elimination fight between American Curtis Stevens, who gave Golovkin some tough moments before being knocked out at Madison Square Garden last year, and former WBO champ Hassan N’Dam of France.
A date and venue has yet to be decided.
Soliman said he expected the chunky Stevens to win the eliminator but said he wasn’t interested in facing him until 2015 after first facing Golovkin or Geale.
Massive credit goes out to Sam for avoiding all the phonies and pretenders and actually chasing a big fight.
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