Despite the World Boxing Council attempting to get the fight made in 2016, Canelo’s promoters at Golden Boy have asked for at least another year in making bout, with the added stipulation that ‘GGG’ must agree to their terms.
Current super-welterweight title Canelo recently opened at 11/4 against, with fluctuating odds from bookmakers solely due to his lack of experience at the middleweight limit.
Both fighters are currently in the P4P Top 10 and were recently named by Forbes as the two highest earners in the sport, which are two of the main reasons the fans are clamouring for the pair to meet as soon as possible.
As Oscar De La Hoya keeps everybody waiting, and takes considerable criticism for it, WBN looks at five points that may well keep the boxing world waiting for Canelo v Golovkin indefinitely.
WEIGHT DIFFERENCE: Canelo says he’d be ready in one year, although judging solely on Golovkin’s recent weigh-in against Kell Brook, where the Kazakh looked gaunt, pale and unhappy, a move up to 168 may been needed by the end of 2017. Should Canelo put the fight off by just a few months, the 26 year-old would be able to avoid a fight altogether.
POWER: Golovkin hitting as hard as he does would be reason alone for anybody to avoid going near him, whilst Canelo is not one for selecting massive punchers from experience. James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo could be argued as the heaviest handed opponents, but neither had the ring craft Golovkin does to get anywhere near to land flush.
STYLES: Canelo’s style may not be suited to Golovkin’s, but whose is? Canelo likes to use his superior strength to wear down foes and that certainly won’t be possible against ‘GGG’.
STANDING: Although Canelo did fight Floyd Mayweather in the past, which arguably increased his standing in the sport, a loss to Golovkin would be more detrimental and would come with a much bigger danger of happening via knockout.
PROMOTER: De La Hoya is as savvy as they come and knows the longer the fight is left to simmer, coupled with the older Golovkin gets, it will be better all round for the promotion and Canelo’s prospects.
And the reason it will? – Simple….MONEY!
There’s too much cash to be made for this fight not to happen. Leaving it on the shelf for even these twelve months increases the fight’s value immensely and could eventually see a Canelo v GGG PPV contest making in the region of nine figures all in.
Golovkin for his part deserves a 50-50 split, without question, but whether that comes his way could be the main sticking point for the encounter’s negotiations.
