By Steve Kim

With the calendar officially turning to 2018, Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs)  will soon be expected to go up the mountains of Big Bear to return to the Summit Gym to once again work with trainer Abel Sanchez.

''We're looking forward to him coming in, he's always a pleasure to have in the gym because he's a mentor to all these guys. All these guys seem to work harder because they're trying to show something to him,'' said Sanchez, last week while at the Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood, California, where he drove down to get some sparring for IBF cruiserweight titlist, Murat Gassiev, who faces Yunier Dorticos on February 3rd in Russia.

All indications point towards Golovkin defending his IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC belts against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in a rematch - with May 5th, Cinco De Mayo weekend, as the target date.

Canelo battled 'GGG' to a disputed twelve round split draw back in September at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It was a fight that did big business on pay-per-view and at the gate.

Promoter Tom Loeffler, on behalf of Golovkin, and Golden Boy Promotions, on behalf of Canelo, have continued to negotiate the terms of the rematch.

"But yeah," Sanchez continued."We're looking forward to it, hopefully Tom (Loeffler) and the Golden Boy team get something done so we can get back in the gym and get started."

Golovkin is no longer as fighting as often as he had in the past and it will be a full eight months if the rematch with Alvarez comes off in early May as expected.

When asked if this was a concern, Sanchez told BoxingScene.com - "Both guys are going to have the layoff. The only advantage 'Canelo' has is that he's younger but Gennady's experience and his amateur experience, I think will carry him through any layoff like that. I think it all comes back quickly."

Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.