By Miguel Rivera

Former WBC, WBA, IBO middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KOs) is likely going to make a big career decision before the year is over.

Currently, Golovkin is the biggest network free agent on the market.

In the last few weeks, he's held meetings with Premier Boxing Champions, DAZN and ESPN - who are all very interested in signing him up.

The 36-year-old boxer is coming off the first defeat of his career.

He lost a very close twelve round majority decision to Canelo Alvarez in September at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Golovkin is likely going to return to the ring in the first few months of 2019.

According to Abel Sanchez, the head trainer for Golovkin, his career decision - regarding his new network home - will not be influenced by securing a third fight with Canelo - who signed a five year deal with DAZN. PBC has exclusive content deals with Fox Sports and Showtime, while Top Rank has an exclusive deal with ESPN.

There is a possibility that Golovkin will head up in weight to 168-pounds pursue a super middleweight title. At 160, Golovkin still has options - like Canelo, and Daniel Jacobs, Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and Billy Joe Saunders.

Sanchez wants Golovkin to continue his career for at least two to three more years, with a max of five or six fights.

"Let's see if he stays at 160 or he goes to 168. He has two or three years left and they have to be very productive, well.. I would like two or three more years. The important thing is that he has the motivation to continue giving everything in the gym as he's done before... but if it is maintained, I think five or six more fights will be fine," said the veteran coach to ESPN Deportes.