Golovkin Seeks Path Back to Alvarez
NEW YORK (AP) - The giant banner behind him revealed not only a new nickname, but a new reality in boxing for Gennady Golovkin.
''The return of the people's champion,'' it read, touting Golovkin's June 8 match at Madison Square Garden that will be his first fight since dropping his rematch against Canelo Alvarez.
Golovkin came away from those fights with a loss and a draw, and the former holder of three belts has no more after a record 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses.
''Everyone in the Triple G team thinks he won both of those fights, as does the majority of the fan base and the media, and that's why we crowned him the 'People's Champion,''' promoter Tom Loeffler said Monday.
The people may still consider Golovkin a champion, but the boxing rankings have said otherwise since the longtime 160-pound ruler's loss to Alvarez last September in their second fight.
Plenty has changed since that narrow defeat in Las Vegas, though not when it comes to Golovkin's mindset. Some may wonder if he's diminished at 37 after two hard fights with Alvarez, but not Golovkin. He won't be carrying any belts into the ring but he still has a champion's confidence.
Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KOs) may get his shot at being a real champion again soon, perhaps even against Alvarez.
First, Golovkin will return to the ring against Steve Rolls, a little known Canadian who is unbeaten in 19 fights while fighting at both 160 and 168 pounds.
They will split the difference for the June bout, which will be held at a maximum of 164 pounds. Rolls (19-0, 10 KOs) was selected in hopes he could put up a good enough performance to make Golovkin work, but not good enough to mess up any plans for a third fight with Alvarez.
*******Gennady Golovkin punches Canelo Alvarez during their WBC
''The return of the people's champion,'' it read, touting Golovkin's June 8 match at Madison Square Garden that will be his first fight since dropping his rematch against Canelo Alvarez.
Golovkin came away from those fights with a loss and a draw, and the former holder of three belts has no more after a record 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses.
''Everyone in the Triple G team thinks he won both of those fights, as does the majority of the fan base and the media, and that's why we crowned him the 'People's Champion,''' promoter Tom Loeffler said Monday.
The people may still consider Golovkin a champion, but the boxing rankings have said otherwise since the longtime 160-pound ruler's loss to Alvarez last September in their second fight.
Plenty has changed since that narrow defeat in Las Vegas, though not when it comes to Golovkin's mindset. Some may wonder if he's diminished at 37 after two hard fights with Alvarez, but not Golovkin. He won't be carrying any belts into the ring but he still has a champion's confidence.
Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KOs) may get his shot at being a real champion again soon, perhaps even against Alvarez.
First, Golovkin will return to the ring against Steve Rolls, a little known Canadian who is unbeaten in 19 fights while fighting at both 160 and 168 pounds.
They will split the difference for the June bout, which will be held at a maximum of 164 pounds. Rolls (19-0, 10 KOs) was selected in hopes he could put up a good enough performance to make Golovkin work, but not good enough to mess up any plans for a third fight with Alvarez.
*******Gennady Golovkin punches Canelo Alvarez during their WBC