Gennady Golovkin is the most feared middleweight in boxing these days, even if he can't convince top fighters to get in the ring with him. Golovkin badly wants a fight vs. lineal champion Miguel Cotto, who holds the WBC title, but Cotto hasn't shown much interest in facing him.
In fact, Cotto is slated to fight Daniel Geale, whom Golovkin knocked out last summer, and is in talks for Golovkin to accept a "step-aside" deal so Cotto can then face Canelo Alvarez in the fall. Golovkin is a heavy favorite for his own May 16 bout vs. Willie Monroe Jr., and he might be turning his attention to other 160-pound belts to collect.
Cotto seeks "step-aside" deal from Golovkin
Andy Lee holds the WBO middleweight strap after fighting Peter Quillin to a draw in April, and IBF champion Hassan N'Dam may be defending his belt soon vs. rising knockout artist David Lemieux. Golovkin's trainer Abel Sanchez recently talked about those fighters, and said Golovkin is ready to travel for big fights.
When asked about Quillin and Lee, Sanchez said their Premier Boxing Champions fight bored him, but admitted he's enticed by Lee's belt. "Those guys are a level below, but of course Lee has a title and we would definitely go to Ireland because a fight like that would be huge."
He was harsher on Quillin, who failed to make wait after a year of inactivity, then fought Lee to a draw when he was favored. "I think Quillin took a step back," Sanchez said.
"He could have finished Lee in the first but didn't. I don't even know if Peter can make the weight anymore but he has to build himself back in my opinion."
The most entertaining non-Cotto option would likely be Lemiuex, and Sanchez expressed great interest in it should he take N'Dam's title.
"I think if Lemieux wins that's a fight we would travel for to Canada," Sanchez said. "It would be big business over there."
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