The postponed fight between World Boxing Association middleweight ‘’super’’ champion Ryota Murata of Teiken Boxing Gym and International Boxing Federation middleweight kingpin Gennadiy Gennadyevich Golovkin of Kazakhstan will take place on Apr. 9 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama Prefecture, Teiken gym said on March 3 at a Tokyo hotel.

While the fight was initially planned on Dec. 29 last year, it was cancelled some three weeks before the fight due to the Japanese government’s entry ban on nonresident foreigners, effective from late November to the end of February this year, amid concern over the rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron virus variant across the world.

The 36-year-old Murata, who is making his second defense of the title, said at the day’s press conference, ‘’I am grateful to be able to have a fight. I will do my best performance in the fight.’’

While the postponement is feared to lead to a drop in his motivation, Murata said, ‘’People often say I have tolerated the postponement well. But I don’t have that kind of feeling. Since I have had the target, my mental side was OK. Honestly, however, I have been getting exhausted. If it had been postponed further, I don’t think I could stand it any longer.’’

About the fight, Murata said, ‘’ I think I would try to move inside. How will he cope with it? Since I have my own fight plan, I cannot go into details here though.’’

As for Golovkin, who will turn 40 the day before the fight, he sent his message in writing, in which he said, ‘’I am happy that the scheduled fight has been finalized. I am determined to display my ‘’big drama show’’ in Japan.’’

After losing his three middleweight titles to Saul Alvarez of Mexico in September 2018, he recaptured the IBF title in October 2019. Golovkin is currently training in the United States.

Murata has a record of 16 wins, including 13 KOs, against two losses, while Golovkin has a 41-1-1 win-loss-draw tally with 36 KOs.