Combat sports retirements are seldom final. Case in point, a potential stunning return to the ring for ex-world champion Gennady Golovkin.
While not calling time on his professional career officially, former middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin has yet to feature in the ring since his trilogy defeat to Canelo Alvarez three years ago.
And vacating his middleweight crowns, namely the WBA, IBF, IBO middleweight crowns off the back of his loss to the Mexican, Golovkin has yet to book a return to the ring since.
However, never say never when it comes to a spectacular comeback for the Kazakh star, who added fuel to the fires on a return.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty ImagesGennady Golovkin teases ‘secret’ opponent in boxing comeback
Now 43 years old, former middleweight world champion megastar Golovkin had initially been tied to potential returns against both Erislandy Lara, as well as Brazilian star Esquiva Falcao off the back of his trilogy loss to Canelo.
However, vacating his belts and then turning down a pairing with Lara on the back of the defeat, Golovkin had been sidelined for three years from combat sports.
But attending the World Boxing Championships this week in the UK, Golovkin fueled recent rumors of a potential return, claiming he feels “emotions” when watching the sport again, and teased a “secret” opponent in a comeback.
“Yeah, why not?” Golovkin told Boxing Scene regarding a return to the ring. “I feel my old emotions here.
“That’s my secret,” Golovkin replied when asked if an opponent had been identified.
Gennady Golovkin’s gold-laden boxing career
Turning pro back in 2006, Kazakhstan megastar Golovkin first won a silver medal at the Summer Olympic Games in two years prior in Athens, Greece.
And winning interim WBA middleweight gold in just his 19th career fight, Golovkin would suffer just a pair of losses in his decorated career spanning 45 fights, coming in a controversial rematch with Canelo and then in their trilogy clash.
During his pomp, Golovkin would win memorable title fights against the likes of Matthew Macklin, Daniel Geale, Marco Antonio Rubio, Kell Brook, Daniel Jacobs, and Sergiy Derevyanchenko, to name a few.