``IT'S on!!!! Pumped.'' With these three words Daniel Geale yesterday announced what would be the biggest fight of his career, a world title bout at the legendary Madison Square Garden.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A quarter of a century after taking up boxing in Rocherlea, the former Commonwealth Games gold medallist and world champion looks set to grace the 20,000-capacity New York venue once considered the mecca of boxing and host to the historic first showdown between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier as well as such performers as The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
Boxing websites were yesterday widely reporting confirmation that on Saturday, July 26, Geale will take on Kazakhstan-born German-based Gennady Golovkin, the undefeated WBA middleweight champion whose 29 pro fights have produced 29 wins and an impressive 26 knockouts.
However, the 33-year-old father-of-three was not available for comment and his management could only confirm they were in advanced negotiations towards announcing a fight and confident of an imminent result.
Sydney-based Geale has referred to Golovkin as his ``ultimate challenge'' and was disappointed when their scheduled meeting on April 26 fell through because promoters could not reach an agreement on Australian TV rights.
Golovkin, 32, has bypassed a challenge from his highest-ranked challenger Jarrod Fletcher in favour of Geale and put both his WBA and IBO world titles on the line.
Golovkin knocked down Osumanu Adama three times in his last title fight, in Monaco in February.
Geale also beat the US-based Ghanaian in an IBF middleweight title at Hobart's Derwent Entertainment Centre in March 2012
Since then the former Brooks High student claimed the WBA super world middleweight title by beating German Felix Sturm on points in Oberhausen, saw off long-time adversary Anthony Mundine in Sydney before losing his IBF belt in just the second defeat of his pro career, to Englishman Darren Barker in New Jersey ten months ago.
Geale's last fight in February was a routine points win over compatriot Garth Wood in Sydney for the IBF Pan Pacific and WBA Pan African middleweight titles.
Golovkin had previously confirmed he would be fighting on July 26 at Madison Square Garden and although he could not confirm the opponent, his promoter openly favoured Geale.