Golovkin stripped of IBF belt, Alvarez rematch talks collapse
LOS ANGELES: The International Boxing Federation (IBF) has stripped Gennady Golovkin of his middleweight title after he failed to set up a mandatory defence against Ukrainian Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
Golovkin was scheduled for a rematch against his WBC mandatory challenger Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on May 5 but the Mexican withdrew from the fight after being suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in April.
Golovkin, who had held the IBF title since October 2015, defended his WBA, WBC and IBO belts against Vanes Martirosyan instead in a fight that was not sanctioned by the IBF.
The IBF’s mandatory challenger bout was next in the rotation and the organisation ruled in a meeting on May 22 that Golovkin had until June 6 to agree fight terms with Derevyanchenko.
“After a lengthy review and period of deliberation, the International Boxing Federation has vacated the IBF Middleweight title held by Gennady Golovkin,” the IBF said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The IBF had to enforce the penalty under Rule 5H for Golovkin having participated in an unsanctioned contest within his weight class and declare the IBF Middleweight title vacant.
“The IBF will identify the two leading available contenders and order them to negotiate to fight for the vacant title.”
Meanwhile ESPN reported on Tuesday that Alvarez and Golovkin’s negotiations for a rematch have collapsed following a dispute over the proposed purse
With Alvarez free to fight once his sixmonth suspension ends in August, the two rivals had been expected to fight again in September.
However, Alvarez’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya said plans for a Sept 15 rematch had fallen through after world champion Golovkin demanded a 50-50 cut of the purse.
“He’s stubborn and wanting 50-50 and it’s not going to happen,” De La Hoya told ESPN. “The Canelo train has left the station.”
De La Hoya said Alvarez would now likely fight Daniel Jacobs instead in September. “So there’s a deal on the table for Daniel Jacobs to fight Sept 15 against Canelo.”
PARKER V WHYTE FIGHT
Joseph Parker will face Dillian Whyte in a heavyweight fight at the O2 Arena in London on July 28.
Both boxers have only one defeat on their records, against world champion Anthony Joshua.
Parker’s WBO reign was ended by a points loss to Joshua in a unification clash in March, and Whyte lost to his British rival in a seventhround stoppage in December 2015.