Golovkin chases history

UNDEFEATED Gennady Golovkin defends his three major world middleweight titles against fill-in foe Vanes Martirosyan on Saturday with boxing history and a possible rematch with Canelo Alvarez on the line.

“Triple G” tries to stretch his reign, which began in 2010, to 20 fights and equal Bernard Hopkins for the longest title run in middleweight history when he faces Armenian-born American Martirosyan.

“[It means] a lot. I feel like a star,” Golovkin said.

“If you check Bernard Hopkins, my record is much bigger, much stronger.

“This is a good situation for my career, for my fans.”

Golovkin was set for a Las Vegas pay-per-view showdown on the Mexican Cinco de Mayo holiday against Alvarez, a rematch of their thrilling draw last September.

But the Mexican tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol and dropped out of the bout four weeks ago. “He was extremely frustrated and disappointed when the positive test was announced,” Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler said.

“He had been training for the biggest fight in boxing and it was a big shockwave when it came.”

Alvarez is banned until August but hopes to fight again on September 16 and maybe against Golovkin.

Asked about fighting Alvarez next if he retains his titles on Saturday, Golovkin said: “Maybe. Why not? I want activity.”

If not Alvarez, then British southpaw Billy Joe Saunders, whose World Boxing Organisation middleweight crown is the only one not held by Golovkin, and the Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Golovkin’s mandatory next International Boxing Federation challenger, would be likely next rivals.

But Golovkin, 36, made it clear he wants to break the record championship middleweight run, saying: “Next fight I’m looking in the middleweight division. It’s best for boxing and for us.”