Andy Lee in GGG pole as Geale and Kirkland turn down pound for pound star

Andy Lee is in pole position for a world title crack against Gennady Golovkin after the two other possible challengers have ruled themselves out of an April showdown.

Andy Lee, James Kirkland and Daniel Geale were the three fighters in with a chance of facing the current WBA and IBO Middleweight Champion, but both Kirkland and Geale have reportedly ruled themselves out of the race.

And with the other two contenders out of the running, Lee’s promoter Lou DiBella told ESPN.com “We’re close. We’re talking, and Andy wants the fight. Andy believes he can win, and this is a fight that he wants.”

Kirkland’s camp have indicated they have rejected the fight. Instead, there’s a good chance that Kirkland will feature on the April 26 HBO undercard, with the understanding that if both he and Golovkin win they would meet in the summer.

Geale is scheduled to face Australian countryman Garth Wood on February 19 in Geale’s first bout since losing his world title to Darren Barker in August forcing him to rule himself out of the race to fight the fighter with the highest knockout percentage amongst current fighters.

“We weren’t ducking him,” Geale told Fox Sports Australia. “If they had given us a week later or a week before, it would have been perfect. But they wouldn’t budge on the date and I want the people of Australia to be able to see a fight like that. Golovkin has built his name up so well; he’s stopped pretty much everybody he’s been in there with. I don’t want to go over there [to the U.S.] and do something great and nobody see it.”