IBF/IBO middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin has warned Oscar De La Hoya to pursue another comeback opponent.

In a recent interview with BoxingScene.com, the 47-year-old former six division champion De Le Hoya explained that he would be very willing to snap a 12-year retirement to face Golovkin.

And, De La Hoya believes Golovkin, 38-years-old, would be an easy opponent.

"You know how easy GGG would be for me? Oh, my gosh," De La Hoya told BoxingScene. "I always took a good shot and I always took apart fighters like him. In my mind it would be that easy."

The CEO of Golden Boy Promotions has been out of the ring since 2008, when he suffered a one-sided stoppage loss at the hands of Manny Pacquiao.

During the pre-fight build to Golovkin's two battles with Canelo Alvarez in 2017 and 2018 - there were many heated exchanges between GGG and De La Hoya, who at the time promoted Canelo.

De La Hoya's recent comments seemed to further irritate Golovkin.

He believes the fight would be a complete disaster for De La Hoya - and the retired boxer's health.

"You know Oscar, you know how dirty his mouth is," Golovkin told AFP through a translator.

"Everything involving Gennady Golovkin for him is a nightmare. He can say whatever. But let me put it this way - If I got an opportunity to legally kill a person in the ring, I might seize it."

Golovkin is back in the ring on Friday night in Florida, when he makes a mandatory defense against undefeated Kamil Szeremeta of Poland.

The contest would be the first for Golovkin since last year's tough decision win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

"It was a long pause," Golovkin said. "There was enough time to miss boxing and forget certain things. The training was good. I went through my standard training and it went well and I'm ready."