Exciting middleweight knockout artist Gennady Golovkin won four times last year by knockout, cementing him as one of the sport's premier attractions as well as one of its busiest. He already has one knockout win in 2014, but a scheduled bout for April 26th has been scrapped so "GGG" can mourn the death of his father.

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In Golovkin's native Kazakhstan there is a traditional 40-day mourning period that he plans on observing. "He can't fight on April 26," K2 Promotions managing director Tom Loeffler said. "There's a 40-day mourning period. He will be staying with his family. His two older brothers died (in military action) and he's now the patriarch of the family. He's got to take responsibility. It's very sensitive." Golovkin's father suffered a sudden heart attack at the age of 68.

The typically busy champion has made no announcements on when he will be able to return to the ring, and his promotion team had few answers. "Everything is on hold right now," Loeffler said. "We don't know if it will take two months or how long it will take. It's hard to say."

When he does get back in the squared circle, many fans are hoping it will be to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., who improved his standing and credibility by pounding Brian Vera in a unanimous decision win last weekend. After the fight Chavez Jr. said he'd love to clash with GGG.

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Top Rank CEO Bob Arum seems interested in creating the fight. "We want the fight, but we don't know Golovkin's plans," Arum said. "Will he take another fight in the summer, then fight Chavez in the fall?" Golovkin's decision to cancel his April 26th bout might make the proceedings easier.

"Bob approached me with the idea of the Chavez fight and we've always said Gennady would go up to 168 for the right fight," Loeffler said. If so a 16-fight streak of knockout victories will be on the line.