It has been over a month since Floyd Mayweather Jr. has retired from boxing, but his presence and clout continues to be felt throughout the sport.

In fact, despite making his HBO pay-per-view debut Saturday night (9 p.m.) against David Lemieux at Madison Square Garden, Gennady Golovkin can't stop thinking about Mayweather.

Triple G told TMZ Sports last week that he "hopes" to still fight the undefeated, retired champion.

That was a completely different response that Golovkin offered BET.com, when asked about Mayweather recently.

Giving Mayweather the benefit of the doubt that his retirement is real, Golovkin is putting any thought of a bout against Money in his rearview mirror.

"It doesn't matter at this point. I know my story, I know my strategy, I know my victory. It's more important for me. It doesn't matter who's next. It doesn't matter. Who knows? I forgot Floyd," Golovkin told BET.com.

Remember, back in June, Golovkin confidently stated that he'd beat Mayweather if the undefeated champion ever gave him a shot.

Mayweather responded by saying that the Triple G is basically looking for his biggest payday and wrote the knockout artist off as a nobody, naming Andre Berto as his 49th and final opponent a few days later.

That being said, Mayweather's absence in the boxing world gives Triple G a chance to shine.
"I think so, yes," Golovkin says when asked if he could use this moment to gain more fans. "Right now, I'm just boxing. The attention is great."

Golovkin will certainly have the spotlight on him when he takes on Lemieux in a bout that features two of the hardest hitters in boxing.

But as good as Golovkin has been with a 33-0 record, and 30 of those wins coming by the way of knockout, he hopes boxing fans see him for more than arguably the hardest puncher in the sport.

"I think my style, timing, speed, power, discipline [should be looked at more]," he says, adding that it will be a dream come true to fight at the Garden. "Not just one punch."

With the prospect of a possible Mayweather match out the window — for now — Triple G's plan is to defeat Lemieux convincingly, before awaiting the winner of the November 21 Canelo Alvarez-Miguel Cotto fight.

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(Photos from left: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight Night, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)