By Mike Coppinger

CARSON, Calif. -- WBA/IBO/WBC interim-middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28KOs) made easy work of Marco Antonio Rubio on Saturday at the StubHub Center.

His next fight could come against a much more formidable opponent.

Golovkin is set to return in February in Monte Carlo on HBO, and the leading candidate for the bout is England's Martin Murray.

"If Martin Murray wins next week, that's a natural," K2 managing director Tom Loeffler said during the post-fight news conference. "Gennady's fought (in Monte Carlo) twice, I think it's the second or third time for Murray to fight there, that's a natural. ... Martin Murray makes a lot of sense."

Murray fights Domenico Spada on Saturday in Monte Carlo, his second consecutive fight in Monaco.

Murray has been bandied about as a foe for GGG in the past, but the former's visa issues held up a fight stateside. Now that HBO is wiling to televise in Monte Carlo, it seems all roadblocks have been cleared. (Loeffler said that GGG won't fight in Monte Carlo if a fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. can be salvaged.)

Murray gave Sergio Martin all he could handle in 2013 in an impressive performance. It would certainly be a step up from the likes of Rubio.

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