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Dan Rafael reported Wednesday that middleweights Gennadiy Golovkin and Ryota Murata appear headed towards a unification fight next, bypassing the summer tune-ups that had been previously discussed.
Part of the reason for scrapping the interim bouts is to avoid potential injuries or cuts that could jeopardize the unification, tentatively scheduled for December 28 in the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. As Rafael notes, the tune-up fights were intended to drive up interest in the matchup, as well as to allow both boxers to shake off rust after long absences from the ring.
Regarding the issue of creating buzz for this matchup, both teams are probably wise to prioritize the health of their boxers over promoting a unification with interim bouts. Golovkin (41-1-1, 36 KO) has a solid fan-base who are more interested in seeing him take on the likes of Derevyanchenko (who he defeated to win the vacant IBF belt in October 2019) and Murata than the Steve Roll