The year 2013 has produced much action and intrigue in the
sport of Boxing. One could well argue that the breakout star of 2013 has been
unified WBA/IBO Middleweight world champion Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin’s crowd
pleasing seek and destroy style has certainly turned heads and has caused people to take notice of a man who
might be the fighter who could take control of the Middleweight division in the
not too distant future.
Golovkin’s ability to score knockouts has been a focal point
that many will point to when there is an argument made that he is the fighter
who will become the central figure of the division. It is certainly hard to
make an argument against a fighter who has put together a string of consecutive
knockouts like Golovkin has. Golovkin has not been made to go the distance in a
fight since 2008 when he scored an eight round unanimous decision over
journeyman contender Amar Amari. In the
five years since, Golovkin has compiled fourteen consecutive knockouts and
eight successful title defenses of his Middleweight championship which he won
in 2010.
A counter argument that some may make could be that Golovkin
has not fought fighters who most would consider household names in twenty-seven
professional fights thus far. “I respectfully disagree.” Since earning
interim/regular status in the WBA’s Middleweight ratings, a distinction that
eventually would be elevated making him a unified world champion, Golovkin has
stepped up in the quality of his opposition. One has to look no farther than
his last title defense in June of this year when Golovkin scored a brutal third
round knockout over top contender Matthew Macklin.
Macklin, who has been a top contender for several years had
lost only two fights prior to facing Golovkin. A disputed decision loss to
former longtime Middleweight champion Felix Sturm and suffering an eleventh
round knockout at the hands of Sergio Martinez who many consider the top
fighter in the Middleweight division. Prior to his knockout of Macklin,
Golovkin scored an equally brutal third round knockout over Nobuhiro Ishida.
Ishida, had never previously been stopped in his career.
An appropriate question that some might ask is, who in the
Middleweight division can extend Golovkin into the deep waters of a fight? When
a fighter has scored as many consecutive knockouts as Golovkin, questions
regarding that fighter’s stamina may indeed be warranted. Although Golovkin has
gone the distance three times in his career, one could wonder whether or not he
can be as effective and devastating a puncher the longer a fight goes. Golovkin
has only had to go as far as eight rounds in the three times he has gone the
distance. It is an interesting question as to whether or not fatigue could play
a factor if and when Golovkin is extended beyond eight rounds, or even forced
to go a full twelve rounds.
One would have to assume that the question of how fatigue
might affect Golovkin as a fight goes deeper will be answered in time. Although
some have already anointed Golovkin as the heir apparent of the Middleweight
division with anticipation of an eventual showdown with Sergio Martinez,
Golovkin must first focus on his next title defense. The man who will be
challenging who thus far has seemed like an indestructible force, Curtis
Stevens.
Stevens, comes into this fight with a record of 25-3, with
18 Knockouts. Stevens also comes into this fight having scored knockouts in
three of his last four fights including a devastating first round knockout of
journeyman contender Saul Roman in his last fight in August of this year.
The obvious question that some will ask as this fight
approaches is can Stevens neutralize and nullify Golovkin’s come forward
pressure style, and whether or not he can avoid his power. It should be noted
that Stevens has not lost a fight since 2010. a twelve round unanimous decision
to Super-Middleweight contender Jesse Brinkley, who most fans will remember for
his time on the “The Contender” reality TV series.
Since dropping down in weight from the 168lb.
Super-Middleweight division to the 160lb. Middleweight division Stevens has
been unbeaten. Stevens has also shown that he can go the distance throughout
his career, one might argue based on this that this fight could end up being a
test for Golovkin. The key of course will be whether or not Stevens can survive
an early storm from the champion if Golovkin can implement his pressure style
from the outset. Although Stevens has displayed punching power of his own
throughout his career, it may serve him well to look to box Golovkin and look
to extend this fight into the middle and late rounds. A fight toe to toe would
seem to favor the champion.
Although some may indeed be anticipating a shoot out between
these two fighters given each of their recent fights, if Stevens can find a way
to extend this fight and nullify the pressure style of the champion, one could
say that the longer the fight goes, the more it might favor Stevens. Whether or
not Stevens can find a way to derail what has thus far has been an
indestructible force remains to be seen.
One should also consider as this fight approaches whether or
not the increasing interest and marquee value that Gennady Golovkin has enjoyed
recently will influence how he fights. Golovkin has used a systematic approach
to score many knockouts. Some fighters however, have at times been influenced
by wanting to be entertaining and thus continue to grow a following and
increase their star value.
After so many knockouts, one may be tempted to ask whether
Golovkin will be overly aggressive from the outset looking to score his
fifteenth consecutive knockout and not worry so much about winning rounds. It
will be interesting to see if indeed Golovkin tries to headhunt in this fight
how it will affect him if Stevens can extend the fight into the middle and late
rounds.
Should Gennady Golovkin be successful in his ninth title
defense, it could be likely that we might see a unification bout between
Golovkin and Sergio Martinez in the next year or so. If however, Golovkin is looking past this fight with an
eye toward what some see as an eventual showdown with Martinez, Stevens could
surely be the wild card who may disrupt those plans. What will happen? We will
have to wait and see.
“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”
The Boxing Truth® is a registered trademark of Beau Denison
All Rights Reserved.
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