Negotiations for a Gennady Golovkin-Daniel Jacobs middleweight title fight remain active, but they won't be concluded in time to allow for a bout by Dec.10 as originally planned.
Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler told the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday that while a site and date will follow an agreement on financial terms, the bout appears headed to a February or March date.
"Negotiations are taking longer than we anticipated and a fight of this magnitude needs a longer promotional schedule than we'd get if we tried to keep it on Dec. 10," Loeffler said.
Loeffler had Madison Square Garden on hold for Dec. 10. He said that famed arena is still in play, but the focus now is mostly on striking a financial deal.
Part of the delay had to do with the World Boxing Association position on upholding its policy that its primary "super" champion, Golovkin (36-0, 33 knockouts), deserves a 75 percent purse split against the WBA's secondary "world" champion Jacobs (32-1, 29 KOs).
Jacobs' camp sought to make it a fairer 60-40 split, but the WBA last week maintained the 75-25 policy.
"Naturally, we're trying to work out a deal to avoid going to purse bid," where a 75-25 split would be in play, "so we're both happy," Loeffler said. "There is still a deadline out there, but in the discussions right now, the time pressure is off."
Loeffler is negotiating with Al Haymon, Jacobs' manager and head of Premier Boxing Champions.
