BoxRec

Middleweight world titlist Gennadiy Golovkin, fresh from winning a vacant belt last week, could make his first defense against unbeaten but largely unknown mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta on Feb. 29 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said.

"Feb. 29 is the date we're looking at here. We have a hold on the arena," Hearn said late Saturday night at a news conference at the arena after the event he promoted there in which former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk made his heavyweight debut with a seventh-round knockout of Chazz Witherspoon in the main event.

Golovkin became a two-time middleweight titlist when he won a controversial decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko in a rock 'em, sock 'em candidate for fight of the year on Oct. 5 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Deep on the undercard, Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs), 29, of Poland, knocked out Mexico's Oscar Cortes in the second round. Szeremeta had been due to defend the European middleweight title against Matteo Signani on Friday night in Italy but instead vacated the belt to take the fight with Cortes for more money on a bigger stage and knowing he was in line to challenge the winner of the main event for a world title.

Hearn, who is part of Golovkin's promotional team, promoted his second event at Wintrust Arena on Saturday night and said it made sense as a venue for a potential Golovkin-Szeremeta fight.

"Gennadiy's had back-to-back fights at the Garden, and we've seen from the ticket sales for this event (on Saturday night) that we have a good reputation and relationship with fight fans in [Chicago], and if he fights his mandatory, which is Szeremeta, the Polish fighter, then it would make sense to come here with such a huge Polish community. It's not a definite, but it's definitely a venue we're looking at.

"It's difficult to go to a place twice in the year with the schedule, but if there was a place we'd go twice to in a year, it would be Chicago. We've probably had our two biggest gates in this arena outside of [Anthony] Joshua-[Andy] Ruiz in America and it's a great city."

Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs), 37, a Kazakhstan native fighting out of Santa Monica, California, has made no secret that he wants a third fight with bitter rival and middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez after fighting to a draw and a majority decision loss in two highly disputed results. Their broadcaster, DAZN, which has both boxers under exclusive nine-figure deals, also has been pushing hard for a third fight, but Golovkin might take his mandatory defense first regardless of whether there is a third fight with Alvarez.

Hearn said that Szeremeta is pushing for his mandatory title fight with Golovkin and that GGG "wants to fight Canelo, but I don't think he's going to wait for a decision from Canelo. So it all depends on what happens in the next few weeks. Obviously, the Kovalev fight is only three weeks away. So it's not like [Golovkin] can't wait until then, but I don't think he's prepared to wait until December, etc., to have another fight [set up]. If the IBF say that the mandatory is due [since he won] a vacant title, which is generally what happens for a vacant belt, then he would jump in and take that fight."

To be honest I don't know a lot about Szeremeta, but traditionally Poland has very decent boxers in the divisions from MW to CW.

If Golovkin isnt going to decline a lot in a short time its a mismatch. Szeremeta defeated Sulecki thrice in amateurs but Maciej is a better pro than Euro level Kamil.

Ya this fight was to be expected next.

Quick turnaround for these days. Especially after such a tough fight.

Onetimeonly wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 13:56 Quick turnaround for these days. Especially after such a tough fight.

4 months !!

stevec@france wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 14:16

Onetimeonly wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 13:56 Quick turnaround for these days. Especially after such a tough fight.

4 months !!

That's a quick turnaround. As it's IBF mandatory. They will expect it to be made or pursebids.

For an elite fighter, anything more than a 2 fight a year pace is quick turnaround these days.

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 16:14 For an elite fighter, anything more than a 2 fight a year pace is quick turnaround these days.

Let’s not forget before 2016, GGG used to fight min 3 times a year.. now he’s 37 and still looking for 2 fights a year.

He has 4 more fights on his DAZN contract, but was that was over a 3 year deal, i’m Guessing GGG will just fight twice a year.

February 29, 2019? Back to the future?

I don't really mind it tbh, last fight was good, as long as he alternates with interesting opponents I'm fine.

oogiebe wrote: ↑14 Oct 2019, 16:23 February 29, 2019? Back to the future?

Lol

IBF middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 KOs) and his mandatory Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5 KOs) have agreed to terms for a fight in February or March, according to Dan Rafael. Although Golovkin’s mandatory with the International Boxing Federation isn’t yet due, he’s decided to take care of it early.

Dont excuse this bs with "well it's a mandatory " ggg needs that worthless trinket as much as Amir Khan needs a punch to the chin

Hes above a crap belt and Andrade, derevyanchenko, Jacob's, callum Smith are all with dazn

I used to blame the fighters, promoters, media for these orgs and their nonsense but I'm realizing it's the fans fault. This is a place for hardcore fans of the sport and people say " well it's a mandatory" or brag about their favorite fighter winning a belt first when in reality he isnt in the top 5 of his division. If we want a better sport it has to start here.

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑02 Nov 2019, 09:47 I used to blame the fighters, promoters, media for these orgs and their nonsense but I'm realizing it's the fans fault. This is a place for hardcore fans of the sport and people say " well it's a mandatory" or brag about their favorite fighter winning a belt first when in reality he isnt in the top 5 of his division. If we want a better sport it has to start here.

x2..................

When GGG initially joined DAZN, he claimed his current goal was to become the “best boxer” by engaging in the “most important” fights, not necessarily claim titles, but how can he achieve this objective by facing the likes of Steve Rolls and Kamil Szeremeta?

He also protected himself last year when he cherry-picked Vanes Martirosyan, rather than risk missing out on the Canelo rematch, resulting in GGG vacating his IBF strap rather than face Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

And let’s not forget that GGG is now in complete control over his own destiny, since he’s self-managed and also self-promoted.

So why has Gennadiy gone back on his word?

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑02 Nov 2019, 09:47 I used to blame the fighters, promoters, media for these orgs and their nonsense but I'm realizing it's the fans fault. This is a place for hardcore fans of the sport and people say " well it's a mandatory" or brag about their favorite fighter winning a belt first when in reality he isnt in the top 5 of his division. If we want a better sport it has to start here.

Jeff, we don't live in a perfect world..you just can't expect too much of the fans, fans tend to support their boxers defying logic and common sense, that's why they are called FANS, short for FANatics...

https://astanatimes.com/2019/11/ibf-nam ... -opponent/

Gennady Golovkin (40-1-1, 35 КО) will defend his International Boxing Federation (IBF) middleweight world champion status next year in an IBF-organised fight against Poland’s Kamil Szeremeta (21-0, 5 КО). The event is in accordance with IBF and International Boxing Organisation (IBO) regulations and will be scheduled for either Feb. 8 or Feb. 29 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago (U.S.), reported vesti.kz.

Szeremeta is among the World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association’s (WBC/WBA) top three fighters and a compulsory candidate for the IBF title, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, of Matchroom Boxing.

“I will meet Golovkin next week on Thursday. We are going to speak about his following fight. Gennady has an obligatory opponent in the person of Kamil Szeremeta. The IBF authorised that fight,” he said in an interview with Fight Hub TV.

As previously reported, Golovkin made a deal with Szeremeta and was waiting for IBF approval to consider the fight a compulsory one. At the same time, they agreed on the financial arrangements. Szeremeta will receive the biggest fee of his career – the approximate earnings will be no less than $260,000, minus taxes, promoter’s share and other expenses.

Promoter Andrei Vasilevski said his mentee is set for a match against Golovkin. While Szeremeta is honoured to have the European Boxing Union champion belt, he has bigger dreams and wants to fight for the world champion title.

“We are ready. Kamil Szeremeta is a very ambitious sportsperson. He is dreaming about the fight with such a legend as GGG. It is his main goal,” Vasilevski told ringtv.com.

The fight will be Golovkin’s first defence of his IBF title, which he earned in New York City Oct. 5 by beating Ukrainian Sergey Derevyanchenko (13-2, 10 КО). Szeremeta was on the undercard, defeating Mexican Oskar Kortess in the second round, and the victory made him a candidate for the IBF title.

“It was a great experience for me to box in Madison Square Garden’s legendary ring; being a part of Gennady’s Big Drama Show, my dream came true. At the same time, I tried to convince myself that it was nothing more than an ordinary arena to escape the huge pressure on me,” he noted.

Gennadiy Golovkin + Kamil Szeremeta = Yawn!

Enlightened-One wrote: ↑08 Nov 2019, 15:58 Gennadiy Golovkin + Kamil Szeremeta = Yawn!

Not even worth a yawn!

Jenny Golovkin

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑08 Nov 2019, 17:40 Jenny Golovkin

Funny! Somone at boxing scene posted this. "Poor guy will be calling himself Jenny Golovkin next year. Canelo ruined the guy." after someone noted that he was calling himself Genna or something. Was that you?

Lol, nah wasn't me. Though I bet I'd get along with that poster

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑08 Nov 2019, 18:18 Lol, nah wasn't me. Though I bet I'd get along with that poster

LOL! I know you want the credit though! I remember guys like Canelo were calling GGG Gina (prounounced like Va-GINA).