By Miguel Rivera
According to World Boxing Association President Gilberto Mendoza Jr, his sanctioning body was fully justified in refusing to sanction the upcoming fight between their champion Gennady Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs) and challenger Kell Brook (36-0, 25KOs).
The contest takes place on September 10th from the O2 Arena in London. Golovkin's IBF, IBO and WBC middleweight belts will be at stake.
Golovkin, who is the sanctioning body's "super" champion at the weight, has defending the WBA belt 16 times.
It was initially believed that the sanctioning body rejected Golovkin-Brook because of the weight disparity, but Mendoza says the issue of weight was not the main reason for the WBA's decision on the matter.
Brook is moving up by two weight divisions and thirteen pounds to meet Golovkin at 160. Golovkin has stopped his last 22 opponents.
Mendoza says his organization viewed the contest as a 'business fight' - where the match was put together for the sole purposes of both parties making a lot of money and not because they couldn't find other opponents.
"[Brook's] health being at risk was not the main reason for the World Championships Committee to refuse approval - we have full confidence in the Commission. It was simply that at the weight there were opponents who were willing to face Golovkin, including Daniel Jacobs. This [fight with Brook] is nothing more than business. And there are also other welterweights that Brook could have faced to prove that he was the best welterweight... Jessie Vargas, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia," Mendoza told ESPN Deportes.
The WBA President believes Golovkin-Brook is about "business" and satisfying "television networks" and securing "large purses." He says there is a very bad trend building where fights are being put together for monetary purposes regardless of weight or physical disadvantages. In May Amir Khan jumped from 147 to a catch-weight of 155 and was brutally knocked out by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez. Former four division champion Miguel Cotto was attempting to get Juan Manuel Marquez to face him at a catch-weight of 150-pounds. WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew wants to head up to heavyweight for a lucrative fight with David Haye.
"If boxing continues to go in the direction of commercial interest... and there is no balance, then it's going to be dangerous," said Mendoza. "There are welterweights that Brook can face, there are middleweights that Golovkin can face. The power of money is having an effect on the power of the sport."
Should Golovkin win, the WBA will order him to make a mandatory defense against Daniel Jacobs (31-1, 28 KOs), who returns on Friday night in a rematch against Sergio Mora (28-4-2, 9 KOs) in Reading, Pennsylvania. If Brook pulls off the upset, then the WBA belt will become vacant.
ADD COMMENT VIEW COMMENTS (113)