Gennadiy Golovkin has officially vacated his status as the middleweight champion of the World Boxing Association. Golovkin was forced to vacate his middleweight title after he failed to reach a deal to fight the interim champion, Erislandy Lara. As a result, the World Boxing Association will recognize Erislandy Lara as the middleweight champion.
“Kazakh Gennady Golovkin formally resigned his world champion position and will not face the mandatory fight ordered by the WBA championships committee. The Middleweight division now has only one champion by the WBA, which is the Cuban Erislandy Lara,” the World Boxing Champion tweeted.
Golovkin also vacated the IBF middleweight title in February after failing to reach a deal to fight Esquiva Falcao. As a result, Michael Zerafa will fight Falcao for the vacant title.
Golovkin made his last appearance in the ring last September. Moving up to super middleweight for the first time in his career, he lost to Saul Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision. Despite the loss, the 40-year-old champion has said that he doesn’t plan to retire.
“I still have this fire burning within me, I have this passion for boxing,” he said last fall.
“I’m not tired, I’m fresh. I feel the strength and power within me. If the opportunity comes, I’ll be looking to continue in the ring.”
