By Ryan Maquiñana

Middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin’s next opponent is Marco Antonio Rubio, but that hasn’t stopped the chatter about a future clash with another Mexican fighter.

With the news of Canelo Alvarez’s multifight deal with HBO hot off the presses, the possibility of the Mexican star facing Golovkin – whose fights are also broadcast by the premium cable network -- has become a topic du jour.

“Going to HBO is a good move [for Alvarez], and it definitely opens the door for a fight with Gennady down the road,” said Tom Loeffler, managing director of Golovkin’s handler, K2 Promotions.

Golovkin’s trainer, Southern California-based Abel Sanchez, was in accord.

“That’s a great fight for next fall,” Sanchez said. “Canelo has a commitment in May with [Miguel] Cotto, I think, so next fall.”

When Sanchez was asked if Cotto-Golovkin were an option, the trainer simply replied: “I don’t think Cotto would show up.”

Of course, Rubio (59-6-1, 51 KOs) is the current obstacle facing Sanchez’s 160-pound powerhouse, who has knocked out 17 consecutive foes and will aim to replicate the feat on Oct. 18 in Carson, California’s StubHub Center.

“We’re in the third week of sparring,” Sanchez said. “We have four guys sparring with him. Paul Mendez is one of them. I think he was 165 [pounds] a week ago at the 30-day weigh-in. It’s just a matter of not getting any injuries and doing a job in the 18th.”

Golovkin (30-0, 27 KOs) took a break from his Big Bear training camp and made the three-hour trip west to watch last Wednesday’s ESPN2 card in Santa Monica. His burgeoning Q factor was on full display as he was mobbed by fans for picture requests for the duration of the show.

Could the pugilistic pride of Kazakhstan’s newfound popularity stateside serve as a distraction?

“No, because it’s only here that he gets that kind of adoration,” Sanchez said. “In camp, nobody goes there. The public is not allowed. He does what he needs to do the job.

“If that’s the type of response he gets for this one, I would love to see what the response would be for the next one based on if he can keep doing what he’s been doing to his opponents. If he does this to Rubio, oh wow.”

Ryan Maquiñana is the Boxing Insider at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area and the Editor-in-Chief of Norcalboxing.com. He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow him on Twitter @RMaq28 or email him at rmaquinana@gmail.com .