Respected coach Abel Sanchez has confirmed to World Boxing News that speculation over a potential clash between Gennadiy Golovkin and Carl Froch has all but died down, as the Kazakh puncher lines up his next move in the coming months.
Golovkin, the reigning WBA and IBO middleweight champion, is hunting a marquee test in the mold of Froch—or even pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr.—with “GGG” more than willing to travel across the Atlantic to meet “The Cobra” at 168 pounds.
“Froch’s bravery appears to have been all talk,” Sanchez told WBN in typically blunt fashion. “He has stopped all interview rants, so I assume he is just talking like the rest.
“GGG and his team have stated that we would go to the UK to fight him, and that Froch and Floyd Mayweather talks are the biggest fights out there for us.”
Floyd Mayweather link
Asked whether any serious communication had taken place with Mayweather regarding a possible showdown, Sanchez was equally forthright.
“No. If Floyd is really considering a fight, I’m sure he will reach out. Floyd is a great fighter with great accomplishments. If he does, it will be because he needs mental motivation and a challenge,” he said.
At the time, Mayweather was being linked to Andre Berto or Karim Mayfield following a tongue-in-cheek remark he made during the Broner vs. Porter media day. Keith Thurman, once in the running, seemed to have fallen by the wayside, with Mayweather instead suggesting he would like to see Errol Spence Jr. face Thurman on his undercard. That left Amir Khan and Kell Brook still jostling for what could be a career-defining opportunity on September 12.
Golovkin’s next steps
For Golovkin, however, the focus remains firmly on his own legacy. With Froch going quiet and Mayweather entertaining other names, the undefeated knockout specialist is expected to return around August or September in another defense of his unified 160-pound crown.
By then, the boxing world will know if either Froch or Mayweather has the appetite to share a ring with one of the most feared fighters of a generation. Until then, Golovkin’s destructive reputation continues to grow, while others remain hesitant.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing writer and Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News since 2010. Read all articles and exclusive interviews by Phil Jay and learn more about the author.