Poster by Liam Brady/Round By Round Boxing
ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael is reporting that the negotiations between the camps of Gennady Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) and Daniel Jacobs (32-1, 29 KOs) are not going all that smoothly.
You may be screaming at your computer screen, “BUT WHY?!”
Because it’s boxing, that’s why.
Gilberto Mendoza Jr., president of the WBA, told ESPN.com that while there have indeed been ongoing discussions to make the Middleweight clash a reality, one of the hiccups seems to be the fact that Jacobs wants an interim bout before facing Golovkin.
Golovkin, who is finding it harder and harder to get upper echelon opponents to even consider a fight with him, does not want an interim bout.
Remember, Golovkin wants all the belts now, not later, and by eliminating Jacobs he removes another fake-me-out “regular” champion–even though Golovkin is already the WBA “super” champion (you can’t make these titles up… or maybe you can?).
According to Rafael, Golovkin vs. Jacobs is being discussed for December 10 in an HBO World Champions Boxing main event at a venue in New York–which would be either Madison Square Garden (Golovkin’s preference) or Barclays Center (where Jacobs has close ties).
The WBA has given each side until October 12 to make a deal or a purse bid will be ordered.
Television deals stand in the way as well as Golovkin has an exclusive contract with HBO, while Jacobs and manager Al Haymon could opt for their Premier Boxing Champions series or Showtime if they win the purse bid.
And of course, money is also an issue.
Usually, a mandatory fight between a “super champion” (GGG) and a “regular champion” (Jacobs) is a 75-25 split in the event of a purse bid with the higher portion going to the “super champion.”
But, Mendoza tells ESPN.com that Jacobs and his side are requesting a 60-40 split (in favor of Golovkin).
“It has changed in some cases, but usually they [purse splits] are not changed,” said Mendoza.
More news is supposed to come on Monday, October 10, according to Mendoza.
“The purse bid split-percentage decision will be announced on Monday. [The split] has not been set yet,” said Mendoza.
Stay tuned on Monday as Mendoza and the WBA make some important decisions regarding this ongoing and messy negotiation.
Do you think Gennady Golovkin will face Daniel Jacobs next?
