Who could Gennady Golovkin fight next after stopping Kell Brook?
Sunday 11 September 2016 12:29, UK
Gennady Golovkin claimed he wants to return to Britain for another fight, but also plans to unify the middleweight division. So who could he fight next?
Billy Joe Saunders
That white-toothed smile beamed through a face masked by bruises in the immediate aftermath of Golovkin's win, and Saunders was the first name on the champion's swollen lips.
"I'm a boxer, I'm open for everybody, but I want a unification fight," he said. "First of all, I would like Billy-Joe Saunders because he has the WBO belt."
There is something wonderfully old-school about Golovkin - the way he bashfully conducts himself outside the ring before bashing opponents senseless inside of it. The manner in which he eschews hyperbole to demand a chance to add another piece of the jigsaw to his treasure chest of world championships is what makes him so popular.
WBO champion Saunders must feel like the hungriest animal in the jungle is preying on him. For his part, Saunders is certainly no victim - which victories over Chris Eubank Jr and Andy Lee can attest to.
Chris Eubank Jr
The initial contract that linked Golovkin to Eubank Jr is probably now a torn-up shred of paper in the frustrated fist of Eddie Hearn, but the Kazakh doesn't look the type to forget. He signed once, we've been told, so why not twice?
Eubank Jr has no world title to offer, nor is he matching his perfect record with Golovkin's. What he uniquely did offer was a trademark brand of razzmatazz that would have added gloss to the unified world middleweight champion's UK visit. There is a danger that, after Brook played his part in a five-round shoot-out preceded by a tense, expectant spectacle, Eubank Jr's offerings are no longer required.
But wait until the pot is stirred, as only the Eubank family can. Their ability at the negotiating table cost them the first fight, Hearn has claimed, which could provide an in-built story-line for a dramatic U-turn…
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez... or Liam Smith
The road towards Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez has been treacherous and has led to several dead-ends. The latest guardian of this road is Britain's own Liam Smith, an unlikely character in the long-running tale of Golovkin and Alvarez.
Smith is far more than just a tourist at Dallas' potential 60,000-person attendance venue, where he will defend his WBO light-middleweight title against Alvarez next week. The champion is an underdog but has gold around his waist for a reason, and could derail the demand for Alvarez to finally fight Golovkin.
Smith believes that Alvarez is ducking Golovkin but it remains a complex issue that changes depending on who offers their opinion. What is undeniably true is that Alvarez called himself a world middleweight champion despite competing beneath the 160lbs limit, and when Golovkin became mandatory for his WBC belt, the Mexican vacated and dropped more weight. Alvarez has not yet fought as a middleweight but the rabid fan-base behind him might just roar him into Golovkin's path.
Danny Jacobs
Not many fighters have the gumption to challenge Golovkin, but WBA 'regular' champion Jacobs has volunteered to step into the firing line. His gold is the other version to the Kazakh's WBA 'Super' belt so could aid Golovkin's desire to turn the middleweight division into an orderly queue for his services.
New York's Jacobs successfully defended his belt against Sergio Mora 24 hours before Golovkin did the same, then said: "I want to prove to the world that I'm the best middleweight. If [Golovkin] gets the victory, that's who we want."
The American has already won the greatest battle he will face - he survived cancer four years ago before returning to the ring and picking up a world title in an admirable feel-good story. What that story might need is the pleasant grin of Golovkin, welcoming him to the ring…
James DeGale
Stepping up a division to fight IBF super-middleweight champion DeGale is a left-field suggestion for Golovkin's next bout, but a thought with foundation.
Abel Sanchez, the Kazakh's trainer, said post-fight: "Anybody from 154lbs to 168lbs wouldn't go 12 rounds with him." It certainly wasn't a threat to step up a division, but it was a seed planted for future growth.
The problem Golovkin's team insist they have is finding prospective opponents. That's how they were initially tempted to our shores with Eubank Jr, and eventually Brook, in their sights. If a third brave Brit in the shape of DeGale offered the plausibility of another stellar night at The O2, would 8lbs of weight deter Golovkin?
