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34-year-old Golovkin last faced Dominic Wade back in April. AP/Press Association Images

Massive boxing news as GGG puts titles on the line against Kell Brook

Gennady Golovkin will defend his WBA Super, WBC, IBF and IBO world middleweight belts at London’s O2 Arena in September.

GENNADY GOLOVKIN AND KELL Brook will step into the ring in a surprise world title fight on 10 September, it has been announced.

WBA Super, WBC, IBO and IBF world middleweight champion Golovkin, who is unbeaten in 35 professional fights having won 32 of those by KOs, has agreed to put his belts and a perfect record on the line at London’s O2 Arena.

Sheffield’s IBF welterweight champion Brook, also unbeaten in 36 bouts, will jump two divisions for the mouth-watering match-up with Kazakh star GGG but retains his status as the 147lb champion regardless of the result.

“I’m very excited to be fighting in front of the great British boxing fans and promise another Big Drama Show against Kell Brook,” said Golovkin.

“This is the fight and the moment I have been waiting for for some time,” added Brook.

“We’ve tried and tried to lure the best to come and fight me and now we’ve got the best of the best – the No 1 fighter in the world is coming to the UK.

“When this fight got offered to me I accepted within minutes and I can’t wait. Everyone knows I’m a huge welterweight and I know I will carry my speed and accuracy and even more power through the weights.

“This is the ultimate fight, one of the biggest international fights the country has seen in many years – you have seen some huge names run from GGG but I’m running to him. I’m a special fighter and I will show the world on 10 September.”

Kell Brook v Kevin Bizier - Sheffield Arena Kell Brook last defeated Kevin Bizier at the Sheffield Arena. Nick Potts Nick Potts

Promoter Eddie Hearn reacting to the news: “I cannot tell you how excited I am for this mega fight. I couldn’t be happier for Kell.

“We have pushed for that big name for a long time with many reluctant to step into the ring with him and now this is the ultimate challenge, the biggest fight of 2016.”

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    Mute Frank Van Esbeck
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:05 PM

    Golovkin by homicide.

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    Mute Robert O Farrell
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:23 PM

    What a load of shit. We have 2 middleweight world champions in BJ Saunders and Canelo who’ve been offered title fights against GGG and they’ve both turned him down. Then we have the charming father and son idiot combo the Ebanks saying they ( both of them ) are coming for GGG only to – shock horror , turn it down. And now we’ve Kell Brooke a welterweight steeping into the ring with a stone cold middleweight killer. Shame on those fighters – boxing is fukt. So many great fights out there potentially, but the powers that be (or the boxers themselves) don’t want the fights to happen . Fair play to Kell Brooke btw. He’ll 2/3 rounds Max. If Canelo destroyed Kahn just imagine what GGG will do to Brooke.

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:40 PM

    GGG isn’t innocent in this either if these fighters are turning him down he should move up to 168 and fight the likes of DeGale, Ramirez, Ward possibly even Kovalev.

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    Mute Frank Van Esbeck
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:00 PM

    He can move up and fight those people at 168 and 175 after the other “champions” at middleweight man up and fight him. He’s certainly not at fault though.

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:20 PM

    But there is no one at middleweight to challenge him. Brook probably is the most talented fighter he has faced but the weight difference will be too much and Brook has no experience at middleweight. Its a ridiculous match-up from Golovkin’s point of view, he’ll get no credit for this win.It makes perfect sense for Brook, win he’s a superstar and if he loses he gets to keep his title, gets a 2m pay rise than if he fought Vargas and he wont be slated if he loses.

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    Mute Frank Van Esbeck
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:32 PM

    Perfect sense for Brook? Did you watch Canelo-Khan? It’s a brave move for Brook but he’s basically giving away his undefeated record. GGG is keeping himself busy for Canelo, which apparently isn’t until next September now.

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:51 PM

    I don’t think an undefeated record matters that much, its great to have but at the end of the day almost every fighter loses at some point and Brooks record is padded with a lot of poor fighters so his record isn’t that incredible. There’s absolutely no chance Canelo will step in the ring with ggg, him dropping his belt basically confirmed this and ggg doesn’t bring enough of money to the table for Canelo. So ggg would have to get some big name wins to improve his viewership, but if he did do this that might scare Canelo even more.

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    Mute Frank Van Esbeck
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    Jul 8th 2016, 8:08 PM

    Mayweather became the wealthiest athlete in the world off of the back of his undefeated record, so it matters from a marketability standpoint. But beyond that Brook could get seriously hurt in this fight if he manages to last into the later rounds and take some sustained damage. Canelo’s promoter/management don’t want him near GGG but I think he’ll take the fight eventually – he’s losing credibility by the day after vacating his wbc title. There are no huge names at 168 really (Froch was probably the last) so why not wait and see if Canelo follows through on his verbal commitment to fight next September?

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Jul 8th 2016, 8:36 PM

    You cant really compare Brook to Mayweather who was the best boxer of his generation, it was Mayweather’s aura of invincibility that sold those massive ppvs, I don’t think Brook has that talent or that aura. Brook isn’t stupid he is a pretty big welterweight and doesn’t have a glass chin like Khan and he is much better defensively than Khan so I think he wont lose that badly, he just probably wont be able to keep ggg off for long enough.

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    Mute Frank Van Esbeck
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    Jul 8th 2016, 9:18 PM

    You can say Brook can fight smarter than Khan, but Golovkin can apply pressure much better than Canelo, who’s footwork isn’t great.

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    Mute Stephen Keane
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    Jul 8th 2016, 10:41 PM

    There’s a man who knows what he’s what he’s talking about

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    Mute Ciarán Burke
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:05 PM

    Brook finally gets a big name opponent. I don’t give him much of a chance as he’s not a natural middleweight and Golovkin is a machine but with home support , it could be a cracking fight while it lasts. Can’t wait.

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    Mute Seamus Cummins
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:33 PM

    Expect the Eubanks to come out with some ridiculous excuse, probably A side deal when they were def the B side.fair play tor brook, beating ggg would make him a global star overnight. But chance are he will get ko’d early

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    Mute peter
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    Jul 9th 2016, 1:51 PM

    Brook would beat eubank at middleweight.

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    Mute Damien Kelly
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    Jul 8th 2016, 7:38 PM

    Read that headline and though Kellie Brook has great jabs but I don’t think she’d live with Golovkin.

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    Mute Kj bar
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    Jul 8th 2016, 6:17 PM

    Brook is a quality boxer, should make for a great fight!!

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    Mute d
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    Jul 8th 2016, 8:28 PM

    Fair play to Brook for stepping up, Although I think ggg will finish him within the first 5. This is actually the first fight that sky can justify as pay per view in a long time. The rest have just been over-hyped muck.

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    Mute Ruairi Kinsella
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    Jul 8th 2016, 10:17 PM

    With all the different organizations you still can’t get a fighter to step up and take on the best in their division….boxing is maddening at times. Fair play to Brook for stepping up

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    Mute John Pidgeon
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    Jul 8th 2016, 11:22 PM

    Brook will walk away with a massive payday, around £3 million then retire. Brook wanted Khan as it would hand been huge in England but Khan didn’t want to know. I genuinely expect Brook to retire after getting smashed. He isn’t that dedicated to the sport, and his weight between fights show that. GGG is a beast that nobody wants to go near, it’s a shame as he isn’t getting any younger. The Eubank clowns will come up with some bull excuses but the fight was there, they stalled so Eddie Hearn shafted them to get a deal done for Brook. Eubank doesn’t deserve a big payday, he has beaten nothing but never shuts up talking rubbish.

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    Mute Ciaran Rice
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    Jul 8th 2016, 8:29 PM

    Great fight for Brook but an early and easy knockout for Golovkin.

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    Mute Ronan McDermott
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    Jul 9th 2016, 9:16 PM

    This is a crazy match up. But fair play to brook for taking it. Jumping 2 weight divisions

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    Mute Showbiz Babyyy
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    Jul 8th 2016, 8:21 PM

    Boxing is pox

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