LIVERPOOL, England – There was lots to celebrate for Gennady Golovkin after the inaugural World Boxing Championships at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
The tournament was World Boxing’s first since taking over the reins of the sport from AIBA. The previous handlers of amateur boxing had driven its reputation into the ground so much that the International Olympic Committee pulled the plug on boxing’s involvement in the 2026 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
World Boxing, a governing body headed by Boris van der Vost, took control back in 2023 and installed Golovkin as the Chair of the Olympic Commission, with its purpose of getting boxing back into the Olympics – and keeping it there. Their mission was a success, and in March 2025 amateur boxing’s – or Olympic style boxing as it is now called – place was confirmed for the 2028 games in LA.
Golovkin attended the first major tournament governed by World Boxing and spoke to BoxingScene after a successful finals day for his country Kazakhstan and the organization.
"It's been so good, it’s very close, every fight has been very close,” Golovkin told BoxingScene. “I’m so excited. Everybody is happy. Not just me, but the whole team is happy. Everybody is happy. Boxing fans are happy because it is great to them.”
Golovkin, a former long-reigning middleweight champion, has not fought since his defeat to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez back in September 2022. Now, at 43 years old, many believe that the Kazakh’s fighting days are behind him, but earlier in the week Golovkin revealed to this writer that he wanted one more.
After watching his fellow countrymen and women achieve their dreams at the championships, Golovkin admitted that his knuckles were starting to itch.
“Yes, why not?” he replied when asked about a ring return. “I feel my old emotions here.”
But when would that be likely to be, and who against?
“That’s my secret,” Golovkin said.
