The 2nd-best boxer in the world is getting closer to the biggest fight of his career

A few days after it looked like WBA middleweight title-holder Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs) would never get the opportunity to fight a major pay-per-view-worthy fighter, rumors are swirling about a fight that would be the biggest of his career.

While any fight against Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez still isn't likely for at least another year, and a fight with Andre Ward seems even less likely, Golovkin's next opponent may very well be former WBA and IBF super middleweight title-holder Carl Froch.

Froch, who recently gave up his IBF belt, and was stripped of his WBA belt due to inactivity, hasn't fought in nearly a year since his rematch against George Groves. Following a technical knockout of Groves, Froch planned to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but an elbow injury sidelined him and forced Froch to call off the fight.

Although Froch has recently contemplated retirement, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, told the Daily Mail's Jeff Powell that a fight against Golovkin is very intriguing to him and they have opened up negations with Golovkin's camp:

"I've now spoken with Carl directly about this and he is interested. I only want him to take it if he's genuinely motivated because it is a high-risk fight. But it would be massive and we can fill Wembley again. Given Carl's interest, we have already opened negotiations with Golovkin's people and they are very keen."

Golovkin has been persistent in attempting to secure a major fight to cement his claim as the second-best boxer in the world, and his promoter, Tom Loeffler, told Boxing Scene's Gregory Stangrit that Golovkin is willing to move up in weight to make this fight happen:

"There is no question, that would be a tremendous fight. I've told Eddie Hearn many times that Gennady would move to 168 and fight [Froch]…we are ready to go to England without any problems. And it's also not a problem to have [the fight] at super middleweight…We'll see how we can put the pieces together, but right now that fight has the potential to be a great financial success-especially if we can get him one of the football stadiums."

A fight against Froch would easily be Golovkin's biggest fight yet, and his most profitable. Froch's last fight against Groves drew a crowd of nearly 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium, and made over $24.3 million in revenue.

Despite being arguably the second-best boxer in the world, Golovkin has had trouble in the past in his attempts to land a big-time fighter, mainly due to his ferocious power and penchant for knockouts (his 91% knockout percentage is the highest in middleweight title history). There have even been reports that opposing fighters are scared to face him.

Froch, however, told Powell he isn't afraid of Golovkin, and is up for the challenge.

"If I fight Golovkin I will back him up, take what he's got and beat him up," he said.

While Froch remains steadfast in his belief that he would defeat Golovkin if a fight did, in fact, happen, Hearn told Powell he doesn't share his fighter's confidence:

"Golovkin is the most feared fighter in the world now, and Carl doesn't need this fight. But, he says he is intrigued by how he would deal with him. He's crazy that way."

If Golovkin vs. Froch does come to fruition, it could make for some must-see television.