The IBF granted Gennady Golovkin an excpetion to defend his two other middleweight title on May 5th against Vanes Martirosyan, but he must face mandatory challenger Sergey Derevyanchenk in 90 days, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.
“A majority of the directors determined that the exception to regulations should be granted to Gennady Golovkin with the following conditions,” Peoples wrote.
And then he outlined the four terms under which the exception was granted.
Golovkin-Martirosyan must take place on or before May 5, 2018.
Golovkin must agree in writing before the fight that he will next fight the IBF middleweight mandatory within 90 days of the May 5 bout or by Friday, Aug. 3, 2018.
Golovkin must agree in writing before the May 5 fight “to indemnify, hold harmless and otherwise reimburse the IBF for any legal fees or other expenses related to the granting of this exception, including, but not limited to, the cost attendant to any resultant litigation.”
Golovkin must “comply with all of the conditions set forth in the granting of this exception” or formal sanction won’t be issued for the May 5 bout.
“We said all along that we didn’t care if Golovkin walked into the ring with IBF title on May 5. What was at issue was what happens after that,” DiBella told ESPN. “We made it clear that as long as GGG was ordered to fight Derevyanchenko immediately after the May 5 fight that was OK and that is what the IBF ruled.
“Golovkin isn’t defending his IBF belt against Vanes and they’re not sanctioning the fight with Vanes, but they are also not stripping Golovkin either. But GGG has to begin negotiations with us immediately thereafter and then fight Derevyanchenko within 90 days. There are no other exceptions. That’s what we wanted the IBF to say.”
Tom Loeffler said he was not sure what Golovkin would decide to do. “Gennady is training for a fight on May 5, so haven’t spoken to him about this approval of the exception yet,” Loeffler said. “So when I see him in fight week I’ll discuss it with him.”
