Undefeated unified WBA/IBO
Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin’s emergence on Boxing’s center
stage could be described in several ways. By now many fans know that
Golovkin a native of Kazakhstan burst on the American scene nearly one year ago
scoring brutal knockout wins in title defenses over contenders Grzegorz Proksa
and Gabriel Rosado.
Due to both his exciting
pressure style and the devastating fashion in which Golovkin won those fights
an argument could be made that he became an instant star here in the United
States. It would indeed be hard to dispute such an opinion because after
all, the one thing in the sport of Boxing that will always garner significant
attention of fans and experts alike is the ability to score knockouts.
Golovkin continued to turn
heads when he scored a brutal one punch third round knockout over Japanese
contender Nobuhiro Ishida in March of this year in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Ishida who is best known to American fans for his first round upset knockout
victory over a then undefeated rising prospect James Kirkland. Ishida was
considered by some to be a step up for Golovkin due to his “Game” performances
in losses to former Welterweight world champion Paul Williams and former WBO
Middleweight world champion Dmitry Pirog.
Ishida had also never been
stopped prior to getting in the ring with Golovkin. Questions arose as to
whether or not Ishida could extend the fight into the middle or late rounds
against Golovkin who has a near 90% career knockout percentage and who had been
stretched as far as ten rounds only once in his career.
It was clear however once the
fight began that Ishida not only had no way to nullify Golovkin’s power as he
came forward but also could not avoid Golovkin’s offense. The fight was
immediately stopped after a beautifully timed overhand right landed flush on
Ishida’s jaw knocking him out cold in what this observer considers to be the
leading candidate for 2013 Knockout of the Year honors.
Off of yet another devastating
performance, Golovkin would now make the eighth defense of his Middleweight
world title against top contender and former world title challenger Matthew
Macklin on June 29th in
Mashantucket, Connecticut. Much as the belief of many observers, this one
included was before Golovkin’s fight with Nobuhiro Ishida in thinking that
Ishida may have been capable of providing a significant test for Gennady
Golovkin, Matthew Macklin was viewed as a step up in class of opposition for
the champion.
Macklin entered this bout
having lost two of his last three fights however Macklin had endeared himself
to fans and experts alike as someone who is very “Game” and who like Golovkin
has an exciting come forward style. Macklin’s style gave Sergio Martinez, the
man considered to be the number one fighter in the Middleweight division all he
could handle for eleven rounds in their fight in March of last year.
Macklin retained his position
as a top contender by rebounding from his loss to Martinez in scoring a first
round knockout over former WBA Jr. Middleweight world champion Joachim Alcine
in September of last year. Prior to Golovkin’s fight with Nobuhiro Ishida, I
wondered whether or not Macklin could take this fight into the middle or late
rounds and whether he would be able to survive the storm that is Gennady
Golovkin. Although I had no doubt that Macklin would give it everything
he had for how ever long the fight would last, questions of whether or not he
could withstand Golovkin’s power were legitimate.
When the fight got underway Macklin
was able to establish his jab from the outset but what was noticeable was how
Gennady Golovkin’s pressure was disrupting Macklin from getting into a rhythm.
Golovkin’s ability to systematically cut the ring off and to gradually let his
hands go set the tempo for this fight.
The difference in power was
apparent as Golovkin rocked Macklin back into the ropes in the final seconds of
the first round with a left hook. The champion continued to pressure
Macklin who seemed to be in survival mode in the second round. Although
Macklin continued to throw punches he was not able to land anything to stop
Golovkin as he continued to stalk forward. Macklin however gamely tried
to press the action early in the third round but was unable keep the champion
off of him.
Golovkin brought the fight to
it’s conclusion landing a brutal left hook to Macklin’s body sending him down
for the count at 1:22 of round three. Golovkin’s domination of a
legitimate top ten Middleweight contender in Matthew Macklin continues to
indicate that we may be seeing the dawning of a new era in the Middleweight
division.
Off of this latest performance
it is difficult to say what may next be in store for Gennady Golovkin.
The current landscape of the Middleweight division suggests that it may take
some time for Golovkin to secure a potential big money bout which would
hopefully bring further unification to the World Middleweight championship.
Current International Boxing
Federation (IBF) Middleweight world champion Daniel Geale is scheduled to make
the fifth defense of his title against top contender Darren Barker on August 17th.
Depending on what happens in that fight and the possibility of the winner of
that fight being mandated to fight another top contender, it seems that a potential
unification would be out of the question at least in the near future.
There are also other elements
which may prevent Golovkin from securing big money fights with the other world
champions of the division. Current WBC champion Sergio Martinez is
sidelined with a hand injury. The World Boxing Council (WBC) announced
last week that they will stage a four boxer elimination tournament to determine
interim status in it’s Middleweight ratings.
Obviously once Martinez is
medically cleared to compete one would assume that he would be mandated by the
WBC to defend his title against whomever emerges from this would be elimination
tournament as the mandatory challenger. This could pose a roadblock for a
potential clash between the two world champions.
There is a possibility that
Golovkin could potentially secure a fight with undefeated WBO Middleweight
world champion Peter Quillin, if a fight between the winner of Daniel Geale and
Darren Barker is not made. What may be an obstacle in that fight being
made however are elements of the “Business” of Boxing with respected promoters
having agreements with rival television networks.
It would however benefit
both world champions if circumstances allow a fight to be made. Not only would
potential further unification of the Middleweight championship be at stake but
a fight between two undefeated world champions, both in their primes, both with
exciting styles, would likely present significant financial incentives for both
fighters if a fight between the two could be made.
With the Middleweight
championship picture pretty much set at least in the near future what about the
respected top contenders of the division who would likely welcome the
opportunity to fight Golovkin for his unified world title? As of this
writing the WBC has not formally announced which four top contenders will take
part in their elimination tournament to determine a mandatory challenger for
Sergio Martinez.
From a speculation standpoint
one could assume that a fighter such as former WBC world champion Julio Cesar
Chavez, Jr. would be likely to take part in such a tournament concept. Chavez
not only is a former WBC champion in the Middleweight division but if he were
to emerge with interim status out of an elimination tournament it would almost
guarantee a rematch with Martinez, the man who beat Chavez for the WBC title in
September of last year.
Although Chavez does not
currently hold a world title there is no disputing Chavez’ economic value to
potential opponents in or around the Middleweight division. If Chavez
were not involved in the WBC box off, it would present a potential big money
opportunity for Golovkin to seek a fight with Chavez which would likely be a
solid pay-per-view draw.
In the eyes of this observer
however it would benefit Golovkin in the long term to continue to defend his
title against all comers. Fighters such as Martin Murray, former longtime
champion Felix Sturm, and Andy Lee are all potential options for Golovkin.
All three are still very much
in the mix and would each pose an interesting challenge for Golovkin. One would
assume however that we will get a clearer picture as to what Gennady Golovkin’s
potential options are once the Daniel Geale-Darren Barker fight takes place and
furthermore once the WBC announces just who will participate in their box off.
The situation that Gennady
Golovkin finds himself in sort of reminds the observer of the position the
legendary former Middleweight champion of the world Marvelous Marvin Hagler
once found himself in. An obvious similarity between the two champions is they
both started their respected reigns at the top of the Middleweight division
with devastating knockout streaks.
After winning the Middleweight
championship by knocking out Alan Minter in 1980, Hagler went on a tear through
the Middleweight division scoring seven consecutive knockouts between 1981 and
1983. Only Roberto Duran was able to go the distance with Hagler in November
1983. Hagler’s reign as Middleweight champion of the world became one of
the more significant title reigns in the history of the Middleweight division
compiling twelve successful title defenses over the course of seven years
between 1980-1987.
Currently Gennedy Golovkin has
scored knockouts in his last fourteen fights with eight successful title
defenses since beginning his reign in 2010. Perhaps one other similarity may
exist between Hagler and Golovkin. One could make a valid argument that
Hagler literally had to destroy all comers in the Middleweight division before
he was able to secure super fights with fellow superstars of his era, Roberto
Duran, Thomas Hearns, and Sugar Ray Leonard.
With the other champions of the
current Middleweight division seemingly with other options one could say that
Gennady Golovkin may be in the process of doing what Hagler was able to
accomplish over three decades ago. Will Gennady Golovkin’s reign atop the
Middleweight division one day be compared to the reigns of Hagler, Carlos
Monzon, and Bernard Hopkins?
Only time will tell but if
Golovkin continues to run through the Middleweight division like a title wave
it will become increasingly harder for fans and experts alike to not anoint
Golovkin as the kingpin of the Middleweight division. With the
Middleweight division clearly heading toward a transitional period with Sergio
Martinez possibly nearing the end of his career this observer believes that “The
Gennady Golovkin Era” may indeed be quite near.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing Truth® is a
registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.
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