Middleweight champ Golovkin fights Rubio on Oct. 18

LOS ANGELES — Gennady Golovkin will defend his WBA middleweight title against Marco Antonio Rubio of Mexico in Carson, California, on Oct. 18.

Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler announced the matchup Tuesday.

The 32-year-old Golovkin (30-0, 27 KOs) will make his long-anticipated West Coast debut at the outdoor StubHub Center south of Los Angeles against Rubio, a veteran who has won 16 of his last 17 bouts.

The Kazakh-born Golovkin lives in Germany, but trains in Big Bear, California, with Abel Sanchez. His five previous U.S. fights were on the East Coast, including his American debut in September 2012.

"His growing popularity across the country compels us to bring this highly anticipated fight to the StubHub Center, which has hosted so many exciting boxing events in recent years," said Loeffler, the managing director of K2 Promotions.

Although Golovkin has never fought in California, he is already popular among the West Coast's savvy fight fans. He has been mobbed by autograph-seekers and well-wishers while attending fights at the outdoor ring or the nearby Forum in recent months.

Golovkin has won 17 straight bouts by stoppage while moving atop the 160-pound division. He stopped Daniel Geale last month in the third round at Madison Square Garden for his 11th consecutive title defense.

Rubio (59-6-1, 51 KOs), who trains in Oxnard, California, has lost only to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. since 2009, and he hasn't been stopped since 2004.

Golovkin nearly inked a deal to fight Chavez at the Forum this summer, but Chavez and his camp balked late in the negotiations. Golovkin instead fought Geale and finished with a spectacular knockout.