Two-time middleweight world champion and the current IBF and IBO titleholder Gennadiy Golovkin aka ‘GGG’ (41-1-1, 36 KOs) will be making his return to the squared circle after a gap of one year as he is slated to take on WBA (Super) middleweight champion Ryota Murata (16-2, 13 KOs), and the three belt unification bout will be heading to Saitama, Japan on 29th December.
Golovkin vs Murata: For the WBA (Super), IBF, IBO middleweight championship
The fight, co-promoted by GGG Promotions and Teiken Promotions Inc will take place at the Saitama Super Arena and will be streamed live on DAZN worldwide, except for Japan and Kazakhstan.
“I am really excited to be bringing the Big Drama Show to Japan, a country where boxing is very popular,” Golovkin said regarding his upcoming unification bout, “Ryota Murata has been an outstanding champion. It is going to be a special night when we meet in the ring to unify our titles. We are going to give the fans a great fight.”
Considered as one of the best boxers of this generation as well as one of the best middleweights of all time, Golovkin was last seen in action last December, defending his IBF and IBO belts against Kamil Szeremeta at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, Florida.
With the advantage of the fight taking place on his home soil, Murata will be breaking his two year hiatus away from the ring, since defeating Steven Butler in December 2019. The 35-year-old, who has been WBA’s regular champion since 2017, was elevated to ‘Super’ status in January this year.
“I feel that my entire amateur and professional boxing career has been a preparation for this fight against Gennadiy Golovkin. This fight will determine my place in the middleweight division and boxing history,” Murata asserted, “Gennadiy Golovkin has long been the standard-bearer of the middleweight division. To me, he is still undefeated. I have the highest respect for him. It has been almost two years since my last fight, because of the pandemic, but I have put that time to good use, working very hard with my trainers on improving my physical conditioning and adding more power to my punches. I am so proud Japan is hosting this fight. It is a great honor for me.” [H/T Boxing Scene]
Highlights:
- Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata will square off on 29th December in Saitama
- Golovkin’s IBF and IBO middleweight titles will be on the line along with Murata’s WBA (Super) belt
