Trainer Freddie Roach believes that boxing fans are never going to see a match-up between WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and unbeaten IBF/IBO/WBA 160lb champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs). Roach doesn’t say why he doesn’t believe the fight will happen, but it’s likely due to the huge risk involved for Canelo and Golden Boy Promotions, the promoters for Canelo.
“You know that fights [Canelo-Golovkin] never going to happen,” Roach said to tha boxing voice. “I like Triple G. I think he’s a great fighter. I think he’s one of the best fighters in the world. No [he’s not a draw].”
Golovkin and his promoters at K2 Promotions are counting on getting a fight against Canelo later this year. They already made the mistake of stepping aside once to let the Canelo vs. Miguel Cotto fight take place on the condition that they get the winner. That didn’t happen. The WBC let Canelo fight an interim fight.
Now they’re banking on getting a shot against Canelo after he gets his interim title defense out of the way on May 7. It’s quite possible that Golovkin and K2 still won’t get the fight even then. Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya is talking about wanting a 90-10 split of the revenue for Canelo in a fight against Golovkin. If De La Hoya is serious about that kind of split of the money, then it’s likely we won’t see a fight between the two middleweights until Golden Boy is willing to give Golovkin a respectable split.
Golovkin might have to be satisfied with facing the best opposition he can get until he starts to age a little and become more vulnerable. Right now he’s beating guys too easily and that’s going to likely result in Golovkin finding it hard to get fights against the top guys like Canelo, Daniel Jacobs, Peter Quillin, Billy Joe Saunders and Andy Lee. Golovkin could find important fights if he’s willing to move up to the 168lb division to fight guys like Gilberto Ramirez, James DeGale and Badou Jack.
Golden Boy has got a young star in the 25-year-old Canelo, who can bring in a decent amount of PPV buys on HBO just fighting guys like Alfredo Angulo and Erislandy Lara. Golden Boy likely won’t risk their franchise fighter Canelo on a dangerous puncher like Golovkin, because he could knock him out really bad or beat him by a one-sided decision, and this could cause fans to lose interest in paying to see Canelo.
