GGG & the Middleweight Division M.DeTyrone

GGG & the Middleweight Division

M.DeTyrone

Gennady “GGG” Golovkin has become the new boxing media and a network darling. He’s their messiah that “Rocky” type slugger that KO’s his opponents in spectacular fashion.   Yes, GGG has scored plenty of KO’s / TKOs in his middleweight reign as the WBA Champion however he’s scored these knockouts vs. subpar opponents. GGG’s record is full of boxers that never truly won at the elite level or world titles. He’s only faced two ex-world champions in his pro-career but is being heralded by some as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Regardless of those facts, GGG is being propagandized and promoted to be the next big thing. The casual fans are exited and very intelligently they are promoting GGG for the Mexican and Mex-American fan base by saying that he’s fighting “Mexican Style” this will increase his viewer ship and possible PPV sales.  The reality is that the great Mexican boxers had various boxing styles and where not limited to one boxing style being that of a slugger. The thing is in this new era of boxing it’s all about marketing and not reality or accomplishments. 

The next fight for Gennady “GGG” Golovkin 31-0 (28KO) Height 5’10.5”   Reach 70” is vs. Martin Murray 29-1-1 (12KO) Height 6’0” Reach 73”.  The fight is set for February of 2015 for the WBA Super World Middleweight Title & Interim-WBC World Middleweight Title. The winner faces the WBC Middleweight Champion in 2015.  The problem with this fight is that Murray hasn’t shown the punching power to stop the momentum and force of a GGG that will constantly pressure to obtain a KO / TKO.  Murray has 12 KOs in 31 fights and 100% of his KO has been within the 6^th round and he’s never scored a KO after the 7^th round. His chances to test GGG stamina in the middle rounds and championship rounds are slim. GGG scores 96% of his KOs within the 8 rounds and 61% of his KO’s within the first 3 rounds. Unless Murray puts on a boxing clinic and can control the distance, space, and limit GGG’s momentum he has a shot to win. The general consensus is that GGG will score a TKO win and likely within the 5 rounds.

GGG is the strongest boxer within the middleweight division a division that is currently a weak with no true powerful or skillful middleweights.  The current IBF Middleweight Champion is the 36 year old Jermain Taylor 30-4-1 (20KO) he will likely defend his title vs. Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam 31-1 (18KO) who lost his WBO Middleweight Title vs. Peter Quillin. I would pick Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam to defeat Jermain Taylor and become the new IBF Middleweight Champion.  Does Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam have a shot a defeating GGG? Every boxer has a shot in the ring but looking at Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam performance vs. Quillin. I highly doubt that he can out last the power of GGG.

The WBO Middleweight Title was left vacant by Peter Quillin 31-0 (22KO) likely to pursue a fight vs. Daniel Jacobs 28-1 (25KO) the WBA Regular Middleweight Champion.  Quillin vs. Jacobs is an interesting fight. Jacobs has scored 100% of his KO’s within the first 5 rounds and Peter Quillin 86% of his KO’s within the first 6 rounds. I would lean towards a Jacobs win early by KO or a 12 decision, but if it passes the 5^th round I wouldn’t be surprise Quillin scores a KO.

I would prefer to see the 6’1” with a 73” reach Jacobs vs. GGG due to Jacobs’ skills and power early on.

The vacant WBO Middleweight Title will be disputed by Andy Lee 33-2 (23KO) & Matt Koborov 24-0 (11KO). If the 6’2” Andy Lee reaches the 7^th round without being hurt or TKO’d he may just win a decision or TKO Koborov. If Koborov is going to TKO or hurt Lee it will likely be before the 8^th round. Koborov has scored 93% of his KO’s within the 6^th round and Lee has scored 83% of his KO’s within the first 6^th rounds. This fight has the potential to be a brawl of the year type fight.

The WBC Middleweight Champion is Miguel Cotto 39-4 (32KO) vs. “Canelo” Alvarez 44-1-1 (31KO) is being mentioned for a possible opponent vs. Miguel Cotto in May 2015.  The winner of this fight will likely face the winner of Murray vs. GGG in late 2015. “Canelo” Alvarez has scored 71% of his KO within the first 6^th rounds, and has scored 29% of his KO’s within the 7^th and 12^th round. If you look at his opponents in 8 of his fights versus ex-champions or champions he only KO’d two those being Kermit Cintron and at the time the 39 year old Carlos Baldomir. Miguel Cotto has scored 56.25 % of his KO’s within the first 6^th rounds and 43.75% with the 7^th and 12^th rounds. This fight will come down to stamina, skills, experience, and intelligence.

There is the KO artist David Lemieux 32-2 (30KO) vs.  Gabriel Rosado 21-8 (13KO) the winner should be in line to face Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in the future. However, Rosado was already defeated via a 7^th round TKO by GGG and also was defeated by Peter Quillin via TKO.

Lemieux is a KO artist that has scored 97% of his KO’s with the first 5 rounds, and has scored 50% of his KO’s within the first 2 rounds.  However, he has never KO’d anyone past the 7^th round, and on one of his biggest fights he was stopped in 7 rounds by Marco Antonio Rubio who was recently was stopped by GGG. Rosado is one of those old school tough boxers if he survives Lemieux attack within the early rounds then he can win by a decision or even stop Lemieux.

At any rate, GGG looks to have no true challengers for him within the middleweight division, but in boxing anything can happen and with a boxer like GGG with the defensive deficiencies.

His true test is at Super Middleweight in a showdown with a true skillful boxer that is not outweighed or out skilled. His name is Andre “S.O.G” Ward 27-0 (14KO’s) the Lineal World Super Middleweight Champion, the WBA Super Middleweight Super World Champion & from 2011-2013 the WBC Super Middleweight Champion. Until GGG faces Andre Ward he will be nothing but a big fish in a little pond.