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Gennady Golovkin hoping for 12 rounds with Marco Antonio Rubio

Gennady Golovkin is pretty practical about his situation in boxing, and says he hopes to get a full fight in with Marco Antonio Rubio on Saturday.

Scott Christ is the managing editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2006.

You've sold over 9,000 tickets, which is something that has not been done before at this venue. Do you feel like you're becoming a star?

Thanks you very much for my fans. It's great yield. Not for me. It's big day, big present for everybody.

Is it important for you to become a star like Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao? Would that mean a lot to you?

In the future, maybe. Right now, no. Right now I'm world champion. I don't feel right now.

Looking at this fight and the other opponents who have chosen to fight you, because there are opponents that don't want to fight you, do you feel Rubio is in your class?

I think so, yes. Because I know he's best opponent right now for me. Look, he's WBC interim champion. He's best fighter from Mexico in middleweight division. He has great record. He's very smart. It's good experience for me, and for him. Big present for everybody.

Your trainer says six rounds.

No, I don't know. I'm serious. I understand my situation. I need a decision fight. Maybe this fight, decision. Marco Antonio Rubio is great opponent for me.

What's your opinion on fighters who fight for business rather than just fight everyone they're supposed to?

I am fighter. I am fighter. First, boxing is sport for me. Business, I don't know. I want pay-per-view fight with Miguel Cotto, maybe Canelo Alvarez, maybe Chavez Jr. It's not just pay-per-view fight, it's big present for everybody. It's very good for TV, for fans, for everybody.

Do you feel that Cotto, Canelo, or Chavez, they're more business rather than fighting?

For me first, no. It's not business. Just who is who, who is best in middleweight division. Right now, Cotto, he's champion of WBC, I respect him. He's great champion. I want unification fight. Just for me, very important. Who is number one middleweight division?

How do you feel when you see someone like Cotto or Canelo on a pay-per-view and they're not fighting you? Does it make you sad, does it make you angry?

I'm not angry. I understand my situation. This is life. This is boxing. This is boxing business. My work is just inside. Outside is promotions. I'm ready. I want this fight.

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