WBA/WBC/IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin will seek an exception from the IBF to sanction his planned fight against Canelo substitute Vanes Martirosyan on May 5. The IBF wants GGG to fight mandatory IBF challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who has been seeking to step in. The Golovkin camp argues that a fight like Golovkin-Derevyanchenko needs a longer time to promote and that Martirosyan has a fanbase in Los Angeles. If the exception isn’t granted, GGG could be stripped of the IBF title, until maybe a step-aside deal is reached with the Derevyanchenko camp. Stay tuned.