Golovkin is stepping away for “an indefinite period.”

[apollo creed]

I assumed GGG retired when I saw he vacated both his belts, and honestly good for him. As said by others here, great fighter with a great career who has nothing else to prove and unlike most fighters has tens to hundreds of millions in the bank. I’d still favor him against any of the other top middleweights even at his advanced age which is saying something.

Munguia is more of a curious case. I get the same feeling watching him fight that I do with Fundora, which is, great fighter, has potential, but by god he needs to develop better defense. I remember seeing Brandon Rios take punches on the chin for close to 10 years and he could laugh it off at first but eventually it takes a toll on you(and not just on your performance in the ring).

Yup, a very good fighter. Its a pity that he was so avoided when he was in his prime. He got those good fights when he was around 34-35 y/o.

I’m a big Sergio Martínez fan but I feel pretty comfortable saying that if they had fought around 2011-2012 or so Golovkin wins and probably by knockout. Same with Sturm obviously.

No doubt about that. Also same with Quillin and JCCjr.

[Shirow]

Good for Golovkin. He was only interested in big big money fights at this age and there's no-one at the weight class to provide it. Fair enough.

Maybe an exhibition in Kazakhstan against a youtuber or someone famous over there before he puts on the cardigan and slippers.

[caldo2025]

GGG can do whatever he wants! Any idiots claiming that he needs to obey to any boxing demands can go screw. He’s not tying up any belts like the rest of these disks (Charlo Cnts). The guy is old. He’s got 2 or 3 big fights left, he’s deserved the ability to pick and choose his way. If anyone has a problem with that, I’ll fight them IF we have 50 ounce gloves and 7 second rounds.

[caldo2025]

8 rounds, max btw. Those are my demands.keep it up, you’ll get what’s coming. I may have just threw out my back. I’ll scratch you, sooo bad. Please hold…

[sturm vogel]

Indefinite is a long time. GGG may return in his next life.

[Bandog]

Bad news for Munguia. He may as well retire too since GGG is the only one he wants to fight.

[Mexi-Box]

Bad news for Munguia. He may as well retire too since GGG is the only one he wants to fight.

I'm kind of sick of Munguia. The dude thinks he's entitled to a GGG fight? Reminds me of Amir Khan, but Khan had a substantial resume in comparison.

[apollo creed]

Good for Golovkin. He was only interested in big big money fights at this age and there's no-one at the weight class to provide it. Fair enough.

Maybe an exhibition in Kazakhstan against a youtuber or someone famous over there before he puts on the cardigan and slippers.

Yup, he could do on that FMJ's route and fight some y/t boxers like Jake or Logan.

[apollo creed]

GGG can do whatever he wants! Any idiots claiming that he needs to obey to any boxing demands can go screw. He’s not tying up any belts like the rest of these disks (Charlo Cnts). The guy is old. He’s got 2 or 3 big fights left, he’s deserved the ability to pick and choose his way. If anyone has a problem with that, I’ll fight them IF we have 50 ounce gloves and 7 second rounds.

Yup, I remember how much G struggled to get a good fight back in the day when he was younger. No champion at that time wanted to fight G, so G had to fight all top contenders from WBA and WBC orgs to get those big titles. Now that G is old and past of his prime, everybody wants to fight him. Now lets see if Charlo, Munguia, Adames, Lara, Jannibek, Falcao will fight each other?

[apollo creed]

Bad news for Munguia. He may as well retire too since GGG is the only one he wants to fight.

Yup, also Charlo, Lara, Falcao must had big hopes to get a fight with old G. Now they would probably stay safe and fight stiffs from time to time.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[jaouad]

Retirement is the best option.

[lenny.boxing]

good on him, he should take an easy fight to go out on a win. Hes not getting younger, made shitloads of money and is def a hall of famer.

[AngryGoon38]

I don't know why it's an "Indefinite period". At his age he either needs to be done or not done.

Making a comeback 2 years from now would be a horrible idea.

Good point. Either or.
Retire for keeps, or stick around for at least one more bout.
Personally, I'd Love to see him versus Money Mayweather.
Obviously the only way that could be setup would be as an exhibition.
That'd be good enough in my book, as far as sticking around for one more bout(Even if just for having an interesting exhibition bout).

[gilgamesh]

I don't know why it's an "Indefinite period". At his age he either needs to be done or not done.

Making a comeback 2 years from now would be a horrible idea.

Good point. Either or.
Retire for keeps, or stick around for at least one more bout.
Personally, I'd Love to see him versus Money Mayweather.
Obviously the only way that could be setup would be as an exhibition.
That'd be good enough in my book, as far as sticking around for one more bout(Even if just for having an interesting exhibition bout).

I don't know why anyone ever wants to see an Exhibition. They're utterly meaningless.

If Golovkin is gonna have one more fight before hanging 'em up, I'd like to see him fight one of the Charlo's.

[giacomino]

I don't know why it's an "Indefinite period". At his age he either needs to be done or not done.

Making a comeback 2 years from now would be a horrible idea.

Good point. Either or.
Retire for keeps, or stick around for at least one more bout.
Personally, I'd Love to see him versus Money Mayweather.
Obviously the only way that could be setup would be as an exhibition.
That'd be good enough in my book, as far as sticking around for one more bout(Even if just for having an interesting exhibition bout).

Can't see Money being willing to even get in an exhibition ring with GGG unless it's a pillow fight. He is too much of a business man to risk a live opponent. It would be fun from a neutrals' perspective

[fanman]

A great fighter.
Much feared and avoided in the early days.

Finally accumulated all the belts at middle. Had his career definer against Canelo. Canelo appeared to be forced onto the backfoot, but did manage to gain a controversial draw.

The rematch, Canelo came out much more aggressively, put on a great performance, but still took plenty of damage, and could have gone either way. The third fight of the trilogy, a 40 year old golovkin appeared a little slower, and canelo slicker, leading to a relatively one sided decision to the younger man.

Other career highlights include close, but tough decision wins over Jacobs and Derevyanchenko. And a string of impressive kos.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gennadiy Golovkin relinquishes IBO World middleweight title

"Triple G" vacates IBO World middleweight belt
The International Boxing Organisation announced today, June 14, that their middleweight champion, Gennadiy Golovkin, has vacated his world title.

IBO President, Ed Levine, released the following statement: "It is with great pride and some sadness that we announce that GGG has officially relinquished his IBO World Middleweight title.

"Mutual respect and recognition between Gennadiy and the IBO spans 12 years and 22 IBO Word title fights. GGG started this journey as the #1 middleweight in 2011 and remains so to this day. As we all know, when his World championship reign began, major contenders avoided fighting him for good reason. His initial string of 15 straight KO victories cearly shows why. Powerful, a superb boxer, and never knocked down, he set the pound for pound standard for all.

"As importantly, I know he is a kind, loyal, and honorable man outside the ring. I and all his fans will treasure having been associated with and watching him perform during the amazing journey.

"The IBO World Middleweight title is now vacant. His legacy will be there for the next IBO World Middleweight title holder and all future Middleweight World Champions."

Now 41, the Kazakh had held the IBO belt since October 2019. In his second fight back from defeat to his greatest ring rival, Saul Canelo Alvarez, Triple G defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko via unanimous decision after a fierce battle for 12 rounds, a fantastic fight fitting for the venue, Madison Square Garden. GGG defended the belt twice to Kamil Szeremeta and Ryota Murata - winning both bouts by stoppage - before facing a second defeat to Canelo in his last fight in September 2022.

Turning pro in 2006, Golovkin had his first 12 fights in Germany, winning 10 by knockout. The first championship he ever won was the WBO Inter-Continental middleweight title in his 17th bout. He was first crowned world champion in his home country in his 20th contest when he defeated Nilson Julio Tapia in three rounds to capture the WBA World middleweight strap in 2010. Exactly one year later, he added the IBO crown to become a unified middleweight champion, winning the prestigious title in incredible fashion, with a devastating first round knockout, needing just 137 seconds to stop Lajuan Simon in December 2011 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

And so began his long and illustrious journey with the IBO, lasting over a dozen years.

[Thomastearns]

GGG wasn't joking.

A comeback is looks unlikely

Quite right too.

He can proudly walk away with one of the best boxing records of modern times whilst still at the very top.

You can't really ask for much more than that from a fighter that originally came from the Soviet republic of Kazakhstan and somehow climbed to the very top of the mountain.

[Redback Rasta]

Relinquishing the title adds credence to what GGG is up to here. Hope he retires. He has achieved plenty and at 41 years of age, everything he is likely to.

Retire and enjoy it GGG :clap:

[Ruthless-RKO]

No more belt.

Maybe one last money fight. Go out on a win.

[apollo creed]

G did the right thing. Three big paydays with Canelo, Jacobs, Brook , Murata, Chenko and Lemieux, so he made very good money.
G choosed to retire as the WBA, IBF and IBO mw champion, so in very good terms for him.

Tbh I'd like to see G fighting Logan or Jake Paul.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eddie Hearn Doesn't Believe Golovkin Will Retire, Expects Him To Make Super Middleweight Run

Even the biggest fans of Gennadiy Golovkin are clueless as to what’s going on. In September of 2022, the former Olympic silver medalist attempted to even the score with Canelo Alvarez. But after coming short, the former unified champ at 160 pounds has seemingly crawled underneath a rock and ostensibly disappeared.

For Golovkin, his trip to the super middleweight division against Alvarez was only intended to be temporary. Even after taking his latest loss on the chin, a defeated but determined Golovkin vowed to return to 160 pounds and defend his throne. Having had some time to think things through, however, he seemingly has had a change of mind.

His WBA title? Taken off the lifeless body of Ryota Murata...vacated. His shiny IBF belt? Won after a hard-fought showdown against Sergiy Derevyanchenko...also vacated.

Now beltless, all signs point to Golovkin possibly hanging up his gloves for good. Eddie Hearn, on the other hand, has a feeling that Golovkin is simply gearing up for another championship run in another weight class.

“I haven’t talked to him in much depth about his career,” said Hearn recently to Boxing Scene. “But the impression that I get is that he definitely wants to continue fighting. I think at 168, he was 160 for a long time.”

There are pros and cons when it comes to winning a world title. Let’s break them down.

Pros:

Becoming a household name

Achieving a lifelong dream

Having the ability to concretely say that you are arguably the best in the division

Cons:

Well, there are a lot to name but being forced to face an endless parade of mandatories ranks near the top

Hearn, having worked with Golovkin, sympathized with the former champion. Before officially chucking his titles away, Golovkin was ordered by the IBF to defend his belt against Esquiva Falcao. Also, in the same breath, Golovkin was ordered to take on Erislandy Lara by the WBA.

None of those options, at least according to Hearn, motivated Golovkin enough to roll out of bed and make those aforementioned defenses. At this point, who needs those shiny belts that come with an expensive price tag and a long list of things to do? Considering the legendary career he’s already put together, Hearn is convinced that those discarded world titles are essentially extraneous in the grand scheme of things.

“I think part of Gennadiy Golovkin is like ‘look, I don’t want to fight Falcao, I don’t want to fight Lara, so I don’t need the belts. My name carries enough value.'”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Hearn basically looking for a cash cow. A 'new' star..

[CaptainSpacerod]

Best middleweight of his era. Beat Canelo in the first fight and at worse drew the second.

Had Canelo fought him when they should’ve fought rather than pussyfooting around for years waiting for him to decline GGG would’ve stopped him each and every time