Spike to fight Canelo in September with GGG and Saunders on the verge of August deal?
It may have been a round about way to get there, but it looks like Gary O’Sullivan’s original plan to fight boxing superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in September looks to have come to fruition.
The Cork middleweight revealed back in March that he would fight the Mexican in September, teasing that a stadium fight awaited if Canelo won his proposed rematch with former Mattew Macklin foe Gennady Golovkin. Similarly, if he was to lose the return and ‘Spike’ and the Golden Boy puncher would fight in Las Vegas.
However, a failed doping test saw Canelo suspended and his GGG repeat set for May 5th scraped, spoiling O’Sullivan’s initial plans.
The Paschal Collins-trained middleweight was then in the frame to face WBA, WBC and IBF world champ Golovkin and agreed in principle to provide May opposition for the Kazakh.
However, a massive drop in the original offer saw ‘Spike’ turn down the chance to become the first man to beat Golovkin – instead he stopped Berlin Abreu live on American TV the day before the world champion made Vanes Martirosyan his 34th knockout victim.
Post win 28 in May, the Mahon man was confident he would provide opposition for either of the biggest middleweight names but believed it would be December at the earliest before he got his chance in the brightest of spotlights.
Most assumed Canelo and Golovkin would renew acquaintances in September before O’Sullivan, who is fight one into a four fight deal with Golden Boy, would face either-most likely the Mexican in December.
However, news this weeks sees the Celtic Warrior Gym fighter move back into Canelo pole position.
The arduous negotiations for the middleweight title rematch between the three belt champion and the controversial Mexican broke down this week with Team ‘GGG’ not willing to accept the original 35-65 split in Canelo’s favour considering the Golden Boy favourite’s indiscretions.
Such is the desire for the return and the money to be made suggestions were a compromise would be made, but reports on Sunday suggest otherwise.
It appears Golovkin has instead set his sights on becoming undisputed middleweight champion and will instead fight WBO champ and former Andy Lee and O’Sullivan defeater Billy Joe Saunders in London this coming August.
An official announcement has yet to be made, but news Jason Quigley’s stable mate Saunders has pulled out of his proposed June clash with Martin Murray through ‘injury’ has fanned the flames.
If Saunders does indeed fight Golovkin in what would be a mouthwatering contest is paves the way for the Irish middle to fight one of the biggest names in the game.
Jermall Charlo and David Lemieux have also been touted as possible opponents for the former two weight world champion, but it’s widely believed O’Sullivan is first on the list.
Indeed, the fighter’s team have previously stated their confidence of eventually securing the bout.
