By Salvador Rodriguez

Former two-time world title challenger Marco Antonio Rubio (59-6-1, 51KOs) feels confident that he has the power, and the skills, to stop the deadly run of WBA/IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (30-0, 27KOs). The fight is being targeted for October 18th on HBO.

Rubio, the WBC's interim champion and mandatory challenger to full champion Miguel Cotto, is not expecting to face the Puerto Rican star any time soon, so he's going after the next best opportunity out there.

"I've always said it, for me it's about pride to fight with the best, so I look for the biggest and toughest challenges. I see boxing as a sport of competition. Why should you be in boxing if you're not going to fight with the best. I know that I'm [ranked at] number one and I'm eager to train to go out there and win," Rubio said.

"I think Golovkin is very good. We have seen him [fight], but I believe that I have the strength to give a good fight, to go [out there and] knock him out - and I'm going to prepare for that. The fight is hard but I am here. I want to give as much [of myself as possible]."