Gennady Golovkin to defend middleweight titles vs. Kell Brook on Sept. 10 in shocker

In a shocking announcement, it was revealed Friday that middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin - considered the biggest puncher in the sport - will face welterweight champion Kell Brook on Sept. 10 at The O2 in London on HBO.

It's of course surprising because Brook (36-0, 25 KOs) will jump two weight classes for the opportunity, much like his countryman Amir Khan, who challenged Canelo Alvarez for the lineal middleweight title in May and was knocked cold. The announcement is especially stunning, though, because GGG was in talks to face British middleweight Chris Eubank Jr. while Brook was headed to a defense vs. Jessie Vargas.

While Khan fought Canelo at a catchweight of 155 pounds, Brook will jump to the full 160-pound limit for the opportunity.

"I'm very excited to be fighting in front of the great British boxing fans and promise another 'Big Drama Show' against Kell Brook," said Golovkin, 34.

Golovkin (35-0, 32 KOs) has scored 22 consecutive knockouts and will be a massive favorite to stop Brook, BoxingJunkie's No. 2 welterweight.

"Special K" is a top fighter, but is taking a massive leap in competition to go along with the weight jump. His career-best victory is a decision over Shawn Porter in 2014.

"This is the fight and the moment I have been waiting for for some time," said Brook, 30. "We've tried and tried to lure the best to come and fight me and now we've got the best of the best - the number one pound for pound fighter in the world is coming to the UK.

"When this fight got offered to me I accepted within minutes and I can't wait. Everyone knows I'm a huge welterweight and I know I will carry my speed and accuracy and even more power through the weights. This is the ultimate fight, one of the biggest international fights the country has seen in many years - you have seen some huge names run from GGG but I'm running to him. I'm a Special fighter and I will show the World on September 10."

Fans had hoped to see a summit meeting between Golovkin and Canelo, but the sides agreed to table the fight and pursue a Fall 2017 meeting.

(Photo of Golovkin by Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Paste BN Sports)