BoxRec

I’ve done a bit of research to evaluate the state of the middleweight division in order to determine who the winner of September 16th super-fight between Golovkin and Canelo will eventually have to face… and here’s what I’ve come up with, in terms of final eliminators/title defences:

• WBC final eliminator: Jorge Sebastian Heiland vs. Jermall Charlo
• WBA “regular” title defence: Hassan N’Dam vs. Ryota Murata
• IBF final eliminator: Tureano Johnson vs. Sergiy Derevyanchenko
• WBO title defence: Billy Joe Saunders vs. David Lemieux or (the more likely opponent) Rob Brant (assuming Avtandil Khurtsidze loses his mandatory challenger status)

GGG successfully defended his WBA “Super” world middleweight title during his last outing when he defeated Daniel Jacobs, who was then his mandatory challenger, so the holder of this belt on the 17th September won’t be obliged to perform a defence of this crown in the short-term.

It seems that whoever emerges victorious from the September 16th super-fight between Golovkin and Canelo will have their long-term future opponents planned-out for them, unless they vacate their titles.

General thoughts? Who emerges victorious from these potential fights?

The winner of GGG/Canelo vs any of the above are solid fights.

It would be so cool if BJS fought Jacobs. Then GGG could kill two birds with one stone fighting Jacobs for the remaining belt plus trying to stop him this time.

Golovkin or canelo beat all opponents mentioned in the OP

The winner should fight Jacobs, Lara, or Charlo. Those are the only deserving challengers right now. I'd love to see Jacobs/Lemieux in the meantime but I doubt it happens.