Billy Joe Saunders is closing on a London superfight with Gennady Golovkin following the apparent collapse of Triple G's rematch with Canelo Alvarez.
Canelo's Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya has announced the opening of negotiations for Daniel Jacobs to replace Golovkin in Las Vegas on September 15.
That clears the way for a world middleweight title unification fight between Golovkin and Saunders, who had withdrawn injured from this month's defence of his WBO belt against Martin Murray.
Golovkin, the WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO champion, has long coveted Saunders title, which would complete his set. The Kazakh puncher would have no qualms about returning to London, where he knocked out Kell Brook.
The only complication is the pressure on Golovkin to fulfill a mandatory defences of his IBF title. But Saunders in the UK offers a much bigger pay day.
Billy Joe's potential good fortune comes with disappointment for the world boxing audience who have been itching for a repeat of the controversial first fight between Canelo and Triple G.
But De La Hoya has told ESPN: 'The Canelo train has left the station.' That comes after months of haggling over the purse split since the May postponement of the rematch after Alvarez was briefly suspended for two positive drugs tests in February.
Golovkin has been demanding compensation by way of an improvement in his mega millions percentage from 65-35 to 50-50.
'No way that's happening,' says De La Hoya.
Not that negotiations will be a cake walk for Jacobs, who is the first big name signed by Anthony Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn for his new US stable.
Hearn is also deep in talks for AJ to meet America''s WBC world heavyweight champion in a huge title unifier.
Nor will fighting Jacobs mollify the millions of fans suspecting that Canelo is ducking a rematch with Golovkin who was robbed of victory by the Vegas judges in their first fight.
The London Stadium is a possible venue for Saunders v Golovkin. Perhaps as early as August.
Thoughts?
