Middleweight Champ Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in Japanese Omicron Limbo
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, 41-1-1 with 36 knockouts, age 39, Kazakhstan, having fought his career between 159 and 160 pounds (except for the Steve Rolls bout at 163 pounds), remains at the top of the middleweight division. Jermall Charlo and Demetrius Andrade have made no unification attempts or maneuvers to fight with GGG.
GGG holds the International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization World Middleweight titles, but has been inactive since December 2020, when he stopped Kamil Szeremeta after seven rounds. His scheduled bout in Japan with Ryota Murata, who had held the World Boxing Association regular World Middleweight title, was postponed due to the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Murata’s WBA title fell vacant and was claimed by Erislandy Lara.
Through January 9, 2022, Japan has 1,757,460 Coronavirus cases and 18, 402 deaths, with 1,714,428 recoveries from COVID-19. The death rate in Japan of those contracting the virus stands at one percent, but still high enough to shut down the country by the Japanese government. From midnight on December 2, 2021, the validity of entry visas issued by December 2, 2021, was suspended in Japan due to emergency precautionary measures. This measure excludes spouses or children of Japanese citizens or residents, and diplomats.
It was hoped GGG’s bout with Murata could be rescheduled for March or April 2022. With GGG or other fighters unable to get in, even with vaccination proof, and the Japanese fighters unable to get out, Murata eventually forfeited his WBA title. GG’s IBF and IBO titles are at risk if he does not defend them in the United States shortly, as over a year has passed. Omicron variant of the Coronavirus or not, there are no provisions for fighters to get special exemptions from titular defenses. Beyond a certain point of time, world titles not defended become vacant. On occasion, a “Champion in Recess” is declared due to a special injury or special health condition, enabling the champion in question to have a chance to regain their title subsequently if he or she recovers.
GGG is vaccinated. If he got in Japan, GGG could have wound up in a quarantine situation similar to tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia, whose visa exemption was revoked, now in quarantine in Australia with a hearing pending. Many countries are updating their policies daily. As such, GGG has been caught in Omicron limbo. His best chance now is to fight a middleweight challenger from the USA or Canada already here.
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