Gennady Golovkin and Ryota Murata reach a deal
Well it looks like IBF World Middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KO’s) and WBA Middleweight champion Ryota Murata (16-2, 13 KO’s) are on a collision course! According to Mike Coppinger of the Athletic, the two have reached a verbal agreement to a December 28 unification bout. If everything goes as presently scripted, both will tentatively appear on the same card against different opponents before their December dance date. At this point, it is unclear against whom or when the preliminary bout would take place.
At the moment, Murata has been sitting idle since making the second defense of his WBA title against Steven Butler on December 12, 2019. It is believed the preliminary bout is to allow Murata the opportunity to knock some rust off.
Although, GGG has been wildly active himself! He did stage a one-sided trouncing of Kamil Szeremeta on December 18, 2020. Yet, he was out for nearly a full year before that bout. Prior to Szeremeta, Golovkin won a highly disputed unanimous decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko on October 5, 2019. So, when looking at the track record of both men, it probably would be advantageous for each to get in a tune-up!
PERSISTENCE IS KEY
The prizefight should not come as a complete surprise. Murata has been openly gunning for Golovkin for quite some time. Well before Murata slid through the ropes to face Steven Butler, he and Teiken Promotions, who promotes him, voiced their desire to chuck knuckles with Golovkin. At that time however, there were concerns that promotional hurdles could hamper the completion of the fight being made.
This was due to Murata’s ties with Top Rank/ESPN while GGG is pushed by DAZN. Obviously, some sort of resolution was made as apparently a potential official fight announcement looms. No matter what compromises or deals were struck, 3kingsboxing will continue to report the latest news on this interesting showdown.
By: Bakari Simpson
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