Not much longer for GGG to decide on the IBF strap

[Street15]

Oh yeah. Absolutely the IBF are doing the right thing. I've always maintained that the only useful purpose the sanctioning orgs serve is to make top fighters fight their mandatories once in a while. Golovkin's been amongst my favourite fighters over the last 5+ years but he doesn't deserve any special treatment, and no fighter should get to hold the belts hostage and get in the way of the new talent getting their shot.

And yeah, whilst I'd much prefer him to fight all his mandatories and attempt to unify (and that's a gauntlet I'd not expect him to run without taking an L) it's absolutely understandable that he's thinking about his retirement fund about now. Problem is there's every chance that even if he drops his belts (or at least the IBF) Canelo's gonna keep him waiting anyway - quite possibly stringing him along for a while first - probabaly at least til next May, which will just leave Golovkin looking rather daft.

Exactly. I'm all about fairness. If I'd want the IBF to enforce mandatories with others, I'd have to expect the same when it comes to Gennady.

And you're right, Canelo could definitely string him along. Because at this moment, from the outside looking in (obviously of no inside knowledge of negotiations going on between GGG and GBP) it doesn't look like a sure shot at all. What's funny is, if they did string him along, it would be out of spite. There's absolutely no reason to not want to get this fight done now. Because the fact of the matter is: there isn't a soul Canelo can fight at 154, 160 or 168 (how it's currently constructed) that will garner the $$ and attention he will get from fighting Gennady.

[BLACK KNOT]

Exactly. I'm all about fairness. If I'd want the IBF to enforce mandatories with others, I'd have to expect the same when it comes to Gennady.

And you're right, Canelo could definitely string him along. Because at this moment, from the outside looking in (obviously of no inside knowledge of negotiations going on between GGG and GBP) it doesn't look like a sure shot at all. What's funny is, if they did string him along, it would be out of spite. There's absolutely no reason to not want to get this fight done now. Because the fact of the matter is: there isn't a soul Canelo can fight at 154, 160 or 168 (how it's currently constructed) that will garner the $$ and attention he will get from fighting Gennady.

yes. its simple there is not contract signed to fight clenelo after vanes so go with your mandatory and keep your belt.

[Citizen Koba]

Exactly. I'm all about fairness. If I'd want the IBF to enforce mandatories with others, I'd have to expect the same when it comes to Gennady.

And you're right, Canelo could definitely string him along. Because at this moment, from the outside looking in (obviously of no inside knowledge of negotiations going on between GGG and GBP) it doesn't look like a sure shot at all. What's funny is, if they did string him along, it would be out of spite. There's absolutely no reason to not want to get this fight done now. Because the fact of the matter is: there isn't a soul Canelo can fight at 154, 160 or 168 (how it's currently constructed) that will garner the $$ and attention he will get from fighting Gennady.

Maybe spite, maybe just for the sake of another 8 months - Golovkin's gonna be 37 come next May. Maybe a bit of both. Either way once GGG starts dropping belts it's a pretty good indication he'll wait as long as they make him, after all, Gennady's in the same boat with regards to potential opponents. Ain't a good look in my book, however understandable.

[Street15]

yes. its simple there is not contract signed to fight clenelo after vanes so go with your mandatory and keep your belt.

There's also the hope of a unification with Saunders. That will guarantee GGG his second biggest pay day. I really don't think it's that big of a deal to relinquish a belt at the age of 36, in order to win another belt, all for the sake of unifying - while getting a huge pay day.

If that isn't there, then yes, mandatory is the way to go. And to be honest, GGG beats Sergiy just like he did Lemieux. People are turning Sergiy into this guy that GGG is all of a sudden afraid of. Had this been 2015 when not many people were clamoring to fight GGG AND the Canelo fight wasn't looming, and Gennady decided to fight his IBF mandatory (Sergiy) people wouldn't think anything of it nor think Sergiy was a huge threat.

[Street15]

Maybe spite, maybe just for the sake of another 8 months - Golovkin's gonna be 37 come next May. Maybe a bit of both. Either way once GGG starts dropping belts it's a pretty good indication he'll wait as long as they make him, after all, Gennady's in the same boat with regards to potential opponents. Ain't a good look in my book, however understandable.

It would definitely be out of spite. Making him wait until he's older would be out of spite.

If he drops his IBF, only to try to unify with Saunders and win the WBO, that isn't that big of a deal - to me. I'd understand. It's a bigger fight, more $$ (2nd highest payday), and he'd be unifying.