Golovkin is no longer a four belt title holder following a mandatory mess with the International Boxing Federation that began with the collapse of a rematch with Canelo Alvarez.
The Mexican was forced to withdraw from a May 5 return with Golovkin and subsequently banned for six months after testing positive for traces of Clenbuterol in his system.
This action taken by the Nevada State Athletic Commission had serious repercussions for ‘GGG’ after his own decision not to fight Sergey Derervyanchenko.
Instead, Golovkin opted to battle Vanes Martiroyan in California and this began the domino effect to the Kazakh becoming a strap lighter.
It’s a situation which would have been avoided if the Canelo fight had taken place as planned on Cinco De Mayo.
On April 20, 2018, the IBF received the request for an Exception to Regulations from the Golovkin camp to participate in the unsanctioned contest against Vanes Martirosyan on May 5, 2018, in Carson, CA.
On April 25, 2018, the IBF received a letter from DiBella Entertainment on behalf of #1 IBF ranked contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko indicating that Derevyanchenko had an objection to the Exception being granted allowing Gennady Golovkin to participate in an optional defense not sanctioned by the IBF.
On April 27, 2018, the majority of the IBF Board of Directors determined that the Exception to Regulations should be granted to Gennady Golovkin with the following conditions:
The Gennady Golovkin vs. Vanes Martirosyan bout must take place on or before May 5, 2018.
Golovkin must agree in writing that he will fight the IBF Middleweight Mandatory within 90 days of the May 5, 2018, bout or by Friday, August 3, 2018.
Golovkin shall agree in writing to indemnify, hold harmless and otherwise reimburse the IBF for any legal fees or other expenses related to the granting of said Exception, including, but not limited to, the costs attendant to any resultant litigation. (As required under IBF Rule 11.F.)
On April 30, 2018, counsel for Golovkin filed an appeal objecting to condition #2 in the Board’s decision. Counsel for Derevyanchenko, the IBF Mandatory, filed a response to the appeal on May 7, 2018.
Since Golovkin has not agreed in writing to fight the IBF Mandatory opponent by August 3, 2018, a required condition for the grant of the Exception, the request for an Exception to Rule 5.H. was denied in accordance to rule Rule 11.I,
“Compliance with Terms of Exception” provides, “The Champion must comply with all conditions contained in the grant of an exception.” Therefore, the IBF denied the request for an Exception with the condition removed.
Talks with Canelo have since been re-opened but it’s too late to save Golovkin’s status.
Derevyanchenko is now likely to face Danny Jacobs or Demetrius Andrade for the vacant championship.
