The rumors of Golovkin facing perennial contender Marco Antonio Rubio appear to be true. According to RingTV.com, members of Golovkin's team are now saying a deal is "close" for GGG-Rubio to take place at the StubHub Center in Carson, CA, on October 18th.
Manager Tom Loeffler of K2 promotions confirmed via text message to RingTV.com that "It is close." Additionally, Golovkin's trainer Abel Sanchez spoke with The RING:
"It's not going to be for sure until tomorrow, so he tells me not to say that it's done," said Sanchez of the HBO-televised bout. "It's very close, and it's agreed to terms-wise and on the venue, but it's not completely signed.
Regarding the venue, RingTV.com quoted a recent Loeffler interview:
"The West Coast is a possibility. That's probably the direction that we're leaning toward because Gennady has fought now, I think, five times on the East Coast and so it would be time to bring him over here," said Loeffler, during an earlier interview with RingTV.com. "He trains in Big Bear, Calif. and we're based in Los Angeles. Plus, we've had a big demand from the fans out here on the West Coast to bring him out here, so we're looking at fulfilling that."
As for Rubio, he must have naked pictures of belt commissioners' wives. While a rugged and skilled fighter that will certainly expose lesser fighters, he gets some pretty choice fights. Rubio lost to a prime Kelly Pavlik, then exposed Canadian destroyer David Lemieux, and more recently went the distance with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
In his last fight this past April, he won an interim WBC middleweight belt by knocking out Domenico Spada. It's unclear how/if that trinket will play into a GGG fight.
As this fight looks more and more certain, are you looking forward to it?