The 34 year-old puts his impressive 35-0 record on the line against the welterweight title holder at the O2 Arena in London and Golovkin is a massive favourite to fend off Brook’s challenge.
Although Brook boasts a 36-0 C.V from his own efforts at the 13-pound lower weight class, the Yorkshireman is 11/2 against to pull off a shock victory in the British capital.
Brook surprised all when stepping in for the stalling Chris Eubank Jr. to take the ‘GGG’ fight having struggled to nail down a big name opponent since defeating Shawn Porter on US soil. ‘The Special One’ was in talks with American Jessie Vargas about a possible unification bout until the offer to fight Golovkin came along and was too good for the Sheffield man to turn down.
It’s a big ask for Brook to move up so much weight at once and possibly dethrone one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and this is reflected in the price given by the bookies. Even the draw is three points higher than usual at 25/1.
Golovkin has ripped through the 160 pound division scoring 22 knockouts in succession and dominating some credible operators along the way. David Lemieux, Daniel Geale, Matthew Macklin and Brook’s compatriot Martin Murray have all succumbed to Golovkin’s power in recent times and it’s hard to see how the 30 year-old can avoid a similar fate when the two trade blows in the fall.
A mass of undercard action is set to be confirmed in the next couple of weeks, whilst tickets go on general sale from Friday 15th July.
