Gennady Golovkin and his promoter Tom Loeffler have been forced into a bind after Saul “Canelo” Alvarez tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance in pre-fight drug testing prior to the bout. Golovkin and his promoter have wanted to keep the May 5th date, a staple to the boxing community as it has been a pay-per-view institution, but have struggled to find an opponent.

Golovkin was reported to fight Jaime Munguia in a bout from Las Vegas, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, before the Nevada State Athletic Commission nixed the bout.

Rumblings started yesterday, April 9th, when well-respected boxing scribe Miguel Maravilla of FightNews.com posted in a tweet that is included below that a source close to the situation had told him that 2004 U.S. Olympian Vanes Martirosyan was close to securing the bout.

I have a source telling me that Golovkin’s 5 de Mayo replacement opponent will be Vanes Martirosyan at Stub Hub Center ??? #GGGMartirosyan #boxing boxeo

— MiguelAngelMaravilla (@MigMaravilla) April 9, 2018

Then one of the best boxing writers in the world, Mike Baca of RingTV.com and UCNLive.com, presented new information explaining that Martirosyan had to meet a 30-day weigh-in limit of 176 lbs. and cites that Martirosyan had posted a IG story showing him making the weight.

Being told Vanes Martirosyan needed to make 176 pounds today in order to get the GGG fight on May 5. Seeing is IG just now, he’s right there.

— Write on the Button (@mikebaca2) April 10, 2018

Earlier today, Lance Pugmire of LATimes.com, released a tweet explaining that it appeared in a conference call with the three sanctioning bodies involved in the bout, Martirosyan was ruled out.

Yes, Glendale’s @VanesBoxing was presented to California as a possible opponent for @GGGBoxing, but he was rejected in conference call by IBF, WBC, WBA this morning.

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 10, 2018

To add to the chaos, Pugmire then reported that Martirosyan was approved by the California State Atheltic Commission, something the prior opponent wasn’t. Also, rightly so, since Martirosyan has been in with the top of the division and is a former Olympian.

It would take haggling to make him @GGGBoxing opponent but @VanesBoxing is approved by @_CSAC based on quality of competition. @spike_osullivan was ok’d by Cal. Previously

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 10, 2018

Finally, Pugmire, the writer with most access covering the story detailed the sanctioning bodies will meet again tonight via a conference call to talk about Gennady Golovkin’s next opponent. This is incredibly cryptic and could mean Vanes Martirosyan could be next

The sanctioning bodies will try to revisit @GGGBoxing situation in conference call tonight says @wbcmoro.

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 10, 2018

The final tweet put out shedding light on Golovkin’s next opponent was another tweet by the famed boxing writer, Pugmire, as he explained the sanctioning bodies will discuss Golovkin’s next foe.

At this point, it seems as though it is Vanes or bust as Spike O’Sullivan is largely unknown and a hard sell. I think the toughest part of all, is why is Golovkin so married to the May 5th date? Number one contenders for Golovkin’s titles in Demetrius Andrade and Sergiy Derevyanchenko wait in the wings and if the bout was postponed those deserving challengers could get a chance to fight for the title. That being said, of the given options, Vanes seems like the only that’ll move the needle.

UPDATE

April 11th

California athletic commission said yes all of the other belts have said yes the only one that has said no is the IBF. So let's just fight for the ones that said yes.

— Vanes Martirosyan (@VanesBoxing) April 11, 2018

This morning Vanes Martirosyan explained that it was not the California State Athletic Commission, but the IBF of all of the people were the ones who didn’t allow the fight to happen. As Martirosyan confirmed the bout was close to being made, but had one big hurdle left.

Told that @spike_osullivan will not fight @GGGBoxing on May 5.

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 11, 2018

Golden Boy does offer another candidate, Yamaguchi Falcao…he’s in consideration.

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 11, 2018

And Golden Boy will stage an @espn card May 4 @StubHubCenter headlined by Victorville prospect @Ryankingry … opponent TBA.

— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) April 11, 2018

The following tweets by Lance Pugmire seemingly foreshadow a doomed event as Gary Spike O’Sullivan has walked away from the Golovkin fight, who was seemingly the last intriguing option, even though Yamaguchi Falcao was offered, it is a far cry from the mega-fight we originally were offered with Canelo vs. Golovkin II.

Golden Boy putting O’Sullivan and future star Ryan Garcia on May 4th at the StubHub Center seems to foreshadow that the Golovkin card for May 5th is more than likely off, since it would be kind of different if they ran the same venue two nights in a row.

UPDATES FORTH COMING.