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LAS VEGAS – Gennadiy Golovkin is sure he will fight again.
The veteran middleweight champion’s 12-round unanimous decision loss to Canelo Alvarez hasn’t made him contemplate retirement. Golovkin, 40, felt good in his debut at the 168-pound super-middleweight limit, but will not decide whether he will return to the middleweight division until promoters offer him fights.
“Well, it will all depend on what offers he can get,” Golovkin said through his translator during his post-fight news conference Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. “At the same time, I have three belts at 160, as I just said, so I have certain obligations in relation to that.”
Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) holds the IBF, IBO and WBA middleweight titles. As of Saturday night, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist had competed at or near the top 160-pound middleweight throughout his 16-year professional career.
The Kazakhstan native alluded to potential mandatory bouts he might need to keep his middleweight championships. A matchup with WBC champion Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) is the most intriguing title unification fight for Golovkin in the 160-pound division, but facing Houston’s Charlo would require Golovkin to work with Premier Boxing Champions of Al Haymon and Showtime.
Golovkin revealed before suffering his second loss to Alvarez that his third fight marked the end of his contractual commitment to DAZN, which signed him to a six-fight deal in March 2019.
Janibek Alimkhanuly (12-0, 8 KOs) owns the WBO middleweight title, but Kazakhstan’s Alimkhanuly reveres Golovkin and may not want to fight him. Alimkhanuly is promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc.
If Golovkin were to remain at super middleweight, he would have to accept a non-title fight next because Alvarez holds the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 168-pound crowns. Regardless, Golovkin isn’t planning to call it a career just yet.
“In fact, I still have this fire burning inside of me,” Golovkin said. “I’ve got [more] passion for boxing. And don’t forget I have three belts [at] 160. I feel good, like I said. I didn’t allow any serious shots. [against Alvarez]. And I’m not tired. I am cool. I feel the force. I feel the power within me. … If the right opportunity comes along, I will look to keep coming back [to] the ring.”
Golovkin got off to a very slow start Saturday night, when he didn’t throw many power shots through the first eight rounds. He trailed Alvarez by the same margin, 78-74, on all three scorecards before the ninth round.
The challenger recovered in the later rounds and closed the gap on each judge’s card. Dave Moretti gave Alvarez a 116-112 win, while David Sutherland and Steve Weisfeld credited Alvarez with a 115-113 victory.
Alvarez of Mexico (58-2-2, 39 KOs), who is eight years his junior, is the only opponent Golovkin has beaten during his professional career. Golovkin lost a majority decision to Alvarez in their 12-round middleweight championship rematch four years ago at T-Mobile Arena, one year after their controversial split draw, also at T-Mobile Arena.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
