Another pummelling display from Gennady Golovkin at the weekend has raised more awareness of what a lot in the boxing industry already knew, that the Kazakhstani fighter has the power to have even the best in the middleweight division running for cover.
The 31-year-old scored a stalking third-round victory over a seasoned Matthew Macklin in Connecticut on Saturday. It was scary to watch, but I had a real fear that the Irishman could get badly hurt at any moment in the fight.
Granted, this is not what boxing is about. Still, the edge-of-the-seat terror gives another dimension to the ringside experience for fans and media alike.
Golovkin brought intensity in the same ilk as the peak of Mike Tyson in the 1980s.
Back then, all witnessing a Tyson fight would know the end would come soon. It was just a matter of when and how bad.
This was mimicked in how Golovkin dominated a world-class operator in Macklin and took him out with a crunching body punch in round three.
Golovkin equals pain
Every shot from Golovkin was hurting Macklin, even his jab, as the two-time European champion confessed.
Now that the secret is out at the highest level, it makes me wonder who would possibly fancy their chances next against the beastly 27-0 machine.
Golovkin called out Sergio Martinez after his impressive win. He also intimated through his trainer Abel Sanchez that he can make 154lbs to lure a big-money showdown with Floyd Mayweather.
It’s not sure the great Mayweather would fancy getting hit by those bulldozer punches.
There would be a case to say that Golovkin would certainly not have the same impact at 154. That’s if he did manage to boil down the six pounds to the light-middleweight limit.
According to Sanchez, ‘GGG’ can make the weight as easy as bulking up to 168 lbs. It would also bring Andre Ward and Carl Froch into the equation and bring endless possibilities for Golovkin to sell out arenas in the coming years.
World champion
But who takes the chance against the current WBA and IBO title holder in the immediate future is another story. A possible three-belt unification against Daniel Geale, Peter Quillin, or even Martinez is looking a long way off.
One man that would have no hesitation in my mind would be Britain’s, Martin Murray. The fight would also make for an entertaining scrap.
The St. Helens man is known for his ability to take a good shot. This was proven in his challenge against ‘Maravilla’ recently.
The ambitious Murray, who some could argue should still be undefeated, has always accepted all middleweight comers.
With his name now known Stateside on the back of his two world title efforts, it should be a relatively easy fight to sell to HBO for the late fall.
Chavez Jr.
Whether former WBC champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would be interested in meeting Golovkin head-on is highly debatable.
The Mexican contemplates a comeback from his first loss to Martinez against fringe contender Bryan Vera in the coming months.
The likes of defeated hopefuls Marco Rubio, Andy Lee, and Sergio Mora will be among those interested in ending Golovkin’s seemingly insurmountable unbeaten record next.
Still, it could be a while before we see the best of the division follow suit.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer. Follow on Twitter @PhilJWBN. Follow WBN: Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
