Tag Archives: Gennady Golovkin

Gennadiy Golovkin And Ryota Murata Agree To Terms For December 29th Unification

Posted on 10/27/2021

By: Hans Themistode

For the better part of two years, both WBC middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin and WBA titleholder Ryota Murata, have spent more time outside of the ring, than inside of it. However, after working diligently behind the scenes, it appears as though that will be coming to an end.

As first reported by Mike Coppinger of ESPN, both Murata and Golovkin have agreed to terms on a deal that will see them square off on December 29th, at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Since picking up the first defeat of his career to Canelo Alvarez in September of 2018, Golovkin has been painfully inactive. The former pound-for-pound star scored a one-sided knockout victory over Steve Rolls in June of 2019. Although Golovkin appeared to be back to his dominant ways, he struggled in his next ring appearance.

In early October, four months following his victory over Rolls, Golovkin found himself in the fight of his life against perennial contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Despite registering the first-round knockdown, Derevyanchenko rallied during the second half of their contest, although he would ultimately lose via close unanimous decision.

Since then, Golovkin has appeared in the ring just once, scoring a 7th round stoppage win against overmatched mandatory challenger Kamil Szeremeta in December of 2020.

While Golovkin has made just three ring appearances since June of 2019, by the time he steps into the ring against Murata, the Japanese native will have spent two full years on the sidelines.

Since winning Olympic gold in 2012, Murata dominated the competition and was fast-tracked to his first crack at a world title in 2017. Murata would go on to lose controversially to Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam via split decision. Five months later, however, Murata righted the ship against N’Jikam, scoring a seventh-round knockout win.

In December of 2019, Murata’s last trip to the ring, he scored a fifth-round stoppage victory against fringe contender Steven Butler.

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Bob Arum on Manny Pacquiao vs GGG Possibility: “It’s a Stupid Fight”

Posted on 06/14/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Manny Pacquiao has made a career out of fighting in multiple divisions. Throughout the entire history of boxing, the Philippine legend is the only man to win titles in eight weight classes. At the age of 41 though, he could have his eyes set on a ninth. 

According to longtime Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach, his man has been linked to a possible showdown with four division world champion Mikey Garcia. The interest from Roach’s side is evident. “I like that fight,” said Roach during a recent interview with Chris Mannix from DAZN. But a matchup with Garcia would seem to leave Pacquiao in the same position he was in before they stepped into the ring against one another. Meaning, a win over Garcia would do little to bolster his already all-time great resume. 

There isn’t much Pacquiao can do at this point to add the cherry on top of his hall of fame career. But there is one fight out there that is currently being floated around that could take Pacquiao’s historic career to another level.

“Manny might want to go a little bit higher and fight GGG (Gennadiy Golovkin) or one of those guys who’s supposed to be the best. I would not advise him to go to 160 pounds, no. That would be a little crazy. But putting him at 147 was a risk at one time … and it worked out really good for us. One thing about Manny, he doesn’t just want to beat anybody. He wants to beat the best out there. He wants to fight the top guys.”

Risks have been the foundation that Pacquiao has built his career on. But that aforementioned risk would turn into sheer stupidity if he were to move up two weight classes to take on GGG according to promoter Bob Arum. 

“It’s a stupid fight,” Arum told Sportsmail. “I know Golovkin appears to be over the hill, but it’s a fight that could be very dangerous for Pacquiao. He isn’t even a welterweight really let alone a middleweight. His best fighting weight is 140, at 147 I think he’s pretty much outsized by all the good welterweights.”

Arum has always had a sweet spot for Pacquiao. He managed the future fall of famer for over 13 years and the two formed a great relationship. But not only does Arum believe that moving up two weight divisions to face GGG incredibly dumb, but he also believes that Pacquiao has more work to do in his current weight class.

“I know he fought Keith Thurman, who had lost his desire to fight and had been out so long, but he would have a real test against Terence Crawford or Errol Spence, guys like that. Maybe he could beat them, I don’t know. He thinks he can, but to go up any higher would be silly.”

At the moment, a fight with GGG seems to be extraneous. Instead, a showdown with WBO titlist Terence Crawford could be next on the WBA champions plate. But before fans of the sport can high five one another and plan fight parties however, there are still a few stumbling blocks.

“It’s difficult because everywhere is on lockdown right now. This is a fight that we aren’t even thinking about doing on US soil. There’s a few places in the Middle East that certainly have the funds to stage a big fight, and certainly many would be willing to do it, but not in these circumstances. It’s no good talking to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain or Kolkata until they get a better handle on this coronavirus. Once the picture becomes clearer we can start to work things out. Manny is very interested in fighting Crawford. But someone has got to put up the money and there’s got to be a site.”

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Former Trainer to GGG Believes he Could Get Seriously Hurt Against Canelo

Posted on 04/19/2020

By: Hans Themistode

Whenever Gennadiy Golovkin’s name came up on the boxing schedule, both fans and his opponents could expect one thing. Pain, and a lot of it. 

Unlike most boxing matches where both men could easily hurt the other, when Golovkin fought, the pain was always one way traffic. Fight after fight, Golovkin found himself on the Sports Center highlight reel. 

Knockouts in the fifth round, stoppages in the second and numerous TKOs in the first. Golovkin’s highlight tape has it all. 

But it wasn’t just that Golovkin was handing out beatings left and right, but he also didn’t receive as much as a scar. In 350 amateur fights, by the way he won 345 of them, and 41 professional contests, Golovkin has never hit the ground let alone been visibly hurt. 

But as they say, Father Time is undefeated and Golovkin, now aged 38, looked a bit vulnerable recently. In his last ring appearance against Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Golovkin seemed to be hurt by a body shot in the fifth round before ultimately winning the contest by controversial decision. 

A rematch was thought to be on the cards next but instead, Golovkin will get the fight he’s been waiting for. 

Through two fights with Canelo Alvarez, many could argue that Golovkin should be 2-0 instead of 0-1-1. And while both have been competitive fights, that could change. With Canelo now in the prime of his life and Golovkin clearly on the back end of his, that seems like a recipe for disaster.

“This one maybe will hurt,” said former Golovkin trainer Abel Sanchez. “Not because I’m not with him, but [this time it could] hurt because he gets hurt. [The trilogy is] not only the most significant, it’s the most dangerous because you’re talking about a guy who is at his peak now and believes he can do the same thing to Gennadiy that he did to Kovalev.”

“[Canelo] baited, baited, baited and waited for that right moment and it was destructive. I would hate to see Gennadiy go into that fight… or I would rather not see the fight than to see Gennadiy succumb to something like that, not being prepared physically and mentally.”

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Golovkin Destroys Martirosyian In Two

Posted on 05/06/2018

By: Sean Cross

In what was originally supposed to be a pay per view broadcast superfight, HBOs Saturday boxing card showcased Gennady Golovkin against Vanes Martirosyan for middleweight supremacy. Golovkin was originally scheduled to face Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas in a rematch of their high profile and controversial first match last fall. Canelo was popped with Clenbuterol in his system, however, and the fight was scrapped. Junior middleweight Martirosyan stepped in for Canelo, however, and the fight was moved to the StubHub Center in California.


Photo Credit: HBO Boxing Twitter Account

Before the main event, however, viewers were treated to the first women’s boxing match ever aired live on HBO. Longtime welterweight champ Claudia Braekhus, 32-0, faced Kali Reis, 13-6-1, in a ten rounder. The first half of the fight saw the established champ jabbing her way to what appeared to be a comfortable lead. Things got interesting in the 7th round, however, when Braekhus was dropped by a Reis right hand. Braekus looked effective in the 8th, but was rocked again at the end of the round.

By the ninth, the fight had gone from one sided to competitive. Braekhus may have dominated most of the fight up until that time, but Reis’ assertiveness and power left a question as to how the bout might end. Reis battled gamely in the tenth, but so did Braekhus, which mean Reis was unable to close the show before the final bell. Braekhus ended up taking a unanimous decision win. It was an entertaining premiere for women’s boxing on Home Box Office.

It was time for the main event. Martirosyan, 36-3-1, was first to enter the ring, followed by the champion, Golovkin, 37-0-1. Both fighters looked intensely focused in the moments before the bout. The first round was an active affair – one Martirosyan, who was punching sharply, may have won. GGG tagged his man hard early on in the second. Martirosyan had his moments, but at around the halfway point of the round, a frightening display of punching power from Golovkin put the game Armenian warrior down and out.

“I feel great,” Golovkin said after the bout.

“This is serious business,” he added, “this is serious fight.”

Naturally, the Canelo situation came up. “I’m ready any time,” Golovkin said in regards to a long awaited rematch, adding in reference to all other fighters who might want to face him: “come and take my belt.”

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Golovkin to Return May 5th

Posted on 04/18/2018

Undefeated World Middleweight Champion and boxing superhero GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN is saving Cinco De Mayo for boxing fans! Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, boxing’s longest-reigning world champion, returns to the ring, Saturday, May 5, against two-time world title challenger VANES “THE NIGHTMARE ” MARTIROSYAN (36-3-1, 21 KOs), from Glendale, Calif. The fight will headline an exciting world championship card which will take place, under the stars, at StubHub Center, in Carson, Calif. It’s the first time Golovkin has fought in Southern California in over two years. Golovkin has proved himself to be a sterling gate attraction in his previous three fights in the Southland, selling out The Fabulous Forum twice, in 2016 and 2015, and setting the all time attendance record for boxing at StubHub Center in 2014. Golovkin vs. Martirosyan will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT. Not only will this mark Golovkin’s first non-pay-per-view fight since 2016, if successful, it will also be his 20th consecutive and record-tying middleweight title defense.

Golovkin and Martirosyan boast a combined record of 73-3-2 (54 KOs) — a winning percentage of 94% with close to 3/4 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

Golovkin had originally been scheduled to defend his WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO middleweight titles on May 5 in a rematch against Saul “Canelo “Alvarez, in the biggest and most-anticipated event on the 2018 boxing calendar. But that fight was canceled when Alvarez withdrew after twice testing positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol

Promoted by GGG promotions, in association with Don King Productions, and sponsored by Tecate, Chivas Regal, Jordan and Hublot, tickets to the Golovkin vs. Martirosyan world championship event go on sale Today! Wednesday, April 18, at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50, tickets may be purchased online at AXS.com, by phone at (888) 9AXS-TIX, or by visiting the StubHub Center box office.

“Vanes Martirosyan is now the most important fight of my career. He has my respect and I am training hard to defend my titles against him,” said Golovkin. “I am happy to be back on HBO and fighting at StubHub Center because they have great boxing fans. I will give my fans another big drama show.”

“Gennady has had such a terrific training camp in Big Bear. It wouldn’t be fair to him to let it go to waste just because Canelo was being punished,” said Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer. “Gennady is going to light up Cinco De Mayo as only a true Mexican-style fighter can. I can’t wait to unleash him.”

“We are adding extra bleachers to accommodate the demand from Gennady’s fans. We are prepared for Gennady to break his own StubHub Center attendance record for a boxing event, which he set in 2014,” said Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter. “When you think about all the great champions and exciting world title fights StubHub has hosted, that’s quite an accomplishment. Vanes Martirosyan brings a passionate Armenian fan base from nearby Glendale and an aggressive style of fighting. Best of all, he is ready and wants the fight. Golovkin vs. Martirosyan will definitely be the fiesta de résistance of Cinco De Mayo.”

“I’ve been training my ass off. I’m sparring, I’m on weight,” Martirosyan recently told the Los Angeles Times. “When they asked me if I’d take this fight, I said yes. I didn’t ask about money at all. It’s a good show for L.A. Cinco De Mayo. Armenians will pack the place. I have a lot of Mexican fans. I do believe in my heart I’m going to beat (Golovkin) because he’s never fought someone with my style.”

Golovkin, the 36-year-old wrecking ball who has reigned over the middleweight division as world champion since 2010, was a dominant amateur standout and Olympic Silver Medalist before turning professional in 2006. Since then, Golovkin has been on an historic trajectory, knocking out one opponent after another to unify the WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO World Middleweight Titles. During this run, Golovkin maintained an unblemished record that included a 23-fight knockout streak, which ended with a unanimous decision victory against then-undefeated world champion Danny Jacobs in March 2017. In September of the same year, Golovkin went the distance in a historic and controversial split draw against Alvarez, which most scored as a victory for Golovkin. The hotly-anticipated rematch, which had been scheduled for Cinco De Mayo, was canceled when Alvarez withdrew from the fight. Golovkin has sold out the most iconic arenas of the world, including T-Mobile Arena, Madison Square Garden, O2 Arena, The Fabulous Forum and StubHub Center.

Martirosyan, 31, is a two-time world title challenger and a former amateur standout who represented the U.S. in the 2004 U.S. Olympics, the same Summer Games where Golovkin won the silver medal. A native of Abovyan, Armenia, who fights out of Glendale, Calif., Martirosyan’s resume boasts NABF, NABO, WBO Inter-Continental, WBA International and WBC Silver championship victories against the likes of former world champions Ishe Smith and Kassim Ouma, as well as a draw against Erislandy Lara. Martirosyan’s only professional blemishes have been decision losses in world title fights against Demetrius Andrade, where Martirosyan scored a knockdown, and a rematch with Lara, as well as a controversial 10-round loss to WBC super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo. Standing at six-feet tall, Martirosyan will enter the ring as the taller and the younger gladiator. He is currently the WBC’s No. 1 world-rated super welterweight contender.

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Boxing Insider Interview with Daniel Jacobs: The Best vs. The Best

Posted on 02/15/2017

Boxing Insider Interview with Daniel Jacobs: The Best vs. The Best
By: Francisco Martinez

March 18th Gennady Golovkin vs Daniel Jacobs for all the belts at the Madison Square Garden in New York. A fight between the two top middleweight fighters in the world with the winner going on to claim 160lbs dominance. Gennady Golovkin will bring pure brute power while Daniel Jacobs will look to utilize his own power in return along with speed and his technique to try and avoid Golovkin’s power in a bout that trainer Abel Sanchez believes won’t go the distance. BoxingInsider.com had the opportunity to catch up with Daniel Jacobs and ask him a few questions as he is 6 weeks away from battling for the WBC, IBF, WBA & IBO middleweight titles.

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BoxingInsider: “How’s training camp so far?”

Daniel Jacobs: “Great. Training camp is going very well. It was a great decision to come out here. Finish my training camp here. See some different things. Clear my mind and be away from a lot of distractions but just ultimately get that good training. Get that good endurance and make sure I can be in my best possible shape”

Daniel Jacobs added a few additions to his team having moved his training camp to Oakland, California away from back home in New York Jacobs and trainer Andre Rozier will be assisted by 2011 Boxing Writers Association of American Trainer Of The Year Virgil Hunter and nutritionist Chris Algieri former 140lbs WBO champ. Who will be in charge of preparing Daniel Jacobs meals throughout camp heading into March 18th.

BoxingInsider: “So much is being said about Gennady Golovkin’s perception of being the most feared middleweight out there. What do you expect from him come fight time?”

Daniel Jacobs: “Well, I don’t expect to fear him. I don’t fear him. I can see why people say that. I’m a fighter through and through. I don’t fear any person and to go inside that ring with a feared mentality, why even go inside the ring?”

Daniel Jacobs has been put down twice in his career once beaten my Dmitry Pirog who put Jacobs down who failed to rise before the count. However the circumstances before the fight played a major role in Jacobs performance that night. Having gone into the fight losing his grandmother a week before the WBO title bout. Daniel Jacobs has also showed the ability get back up after being floored. Doing just that when he faced Sergio Mora but at the same time Mora isn’t a fighter known for his power. Having only 9 K.O’s in a total of 35 fights the Latin Snake never relied on his power but his complicated skill. So the question of Jacobs chin arises heading into this bout.

BoxingInsider: “I know as a fighter you don’t want to feel his power but the question arises throughout the media and fans that, could you take his punch? What do you take to that questions? Why is that question being asked?”

Daniel Jacobs: “I think it’s being asked cause clearly people questioned my chin for some odd reason because I’ve been down two times in my career. I mean if you wanna questioned that about me being two times is understandable. He’s also a very strong guy he’s put out a lot of different guys as well. So I can understand why the questiones are there but it’s just up to me to prove that I’m bigger than that. That I’m stronger. I’m better. That I can prevent those things”

Gennady Golovkin faced Kell Brook a 147lbs fighter who made a 2 division jump in a act of daring to be great and In the process suffering a broken orbital bone and a beating his team was forced to intervene in and throw in the towel in the fifth round but not before Brook was able to get his licks in and at one point land on Golovkin and rocking him with a few punches. Leaving a aftermath of questions regarding Golovkin’s ability to take a punch being that a fighter 2 division below him shook him with his punches.

BoxingInsider: “As for yourself the questions you have in part of Gennady Golovkin. Kell Brook seemed like he was able to rock him during the fight he’s a much smaller fighter. If you land on him what do you expect? What can you do if you’re able to land clean on him?”

Daniel Jacobs: “I don’t know what to expect. We don’t know how truly he can handle those punches but if he allows me to hit him than I guess will see at that present time”

BoxingInsider: “Do you think his chin might be a question?”

Daniel Jacobs: “I don’t know. Anybody can be hurt. This is boxing. This whole genetic thing and this whole talk about he’s unstoppable. He’s never been hurt and you know all this talk about his chin is gonna be questioned once he gets hit by a true middleweight. I’m looking forward to just winning. However that win comes, I’m just looking forward to it. The questions about his chin. The questions about his heart is up for debate but at the end of the day I don’t care about that I just want to win”

Daniel Jacobs is coming into this bout with 29 K.O’s compared to Gennady Golovkin’s 33 knockouts who’s heading into this fight with 23 consecutive K.O’s, T.K.O’s or stoppages making Golovkin’s head trainer Abel Sanchez claims of this fight ending within the distance a highly likely scenario an adding to the combined total of 62 knockouts by both men. Gennady Golovkin vs Daniel Jacobs at the Madison Square Garden live on HBO PPV all the way from New York don’t miss it.

Follow all fight coverage throughout social media by using #GGGJACOBS

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Gennady Golovkin Eyes 2 Relentless Opponents — Canelo Alvarez & Time

Posted on 04/24/2016

Gennady Golovkin Eyes 2 Relentless Opponents — Canelo Alvarez & Time
By Ivan G. Goldman

Ringside at the Forum in Inglewood, California — Gennady Golovkin, who barely raised a sweat knocking out Dominic Wade in the second round Saturday night, hustles to make his mark and plenty of cash before the truth of time begins to rust him out.

To be considered great, champions must participate in great fights. So 34-year-old Golovkin, known affectionately to fans as Triple G, desperately seeks matches that will validate his ticket as a historically glorious middleweight.

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In the meantime, he looks real enough to the 16,353 fans who bought nearly every available ticket in the Forum. He also looks quite substantial to HBO, whose support had much to do with the $2 million purse he earned for his efforts. That’s a sizeable sum for a contest that was non-pay-per-view. Challenger Wade earned $500,000 for his round and a half of hard, fruitless work.

GGG, a half-Korean, half-Russian from Kazakhstan, lives in Los Angeles and trains in the secluded mountain hideout of his trainer Abel Sanchez high above the city.
You get the feeling both Golovkin and Sanchez were eager to make a statement to boxing media that had dared to rank GGG as Number 2 pound-for-pound below seemingly unstoppable flyweight champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez of Nicaragua, 45-0, 38 KOs. Gonzalez, like GGG, hits with the force of a much bigger man and boxes with grace, will, and at a tenacious, violent pace.

In the lead-up bout, Gonzalez couldn’t put his tough Puerto Rican challenger McWilliams Arroyo on the canvas, much less get him out of there. This created opportunity for GGG and Sanchez, who rubbed the noses of boxing analysts in their own pronouncements by doing away with the feeling-out stuff and scoring the first knockdown seconds before the end of the first round.

Inglewood is a separate municipality that’s practically in the center of L.A. and sits adjacent to South Central. The Forum, former home of the NBA Lakers and NHL Kings, has been bought, sold, and traded by various sports and real estate tycoons since it opened in 1967.

Four years ago it was purchased by Madison Square Garden, which tricked it out with new seats, irritating laser-strength searchlights that blind audiences between rounds, and twelve-dollar cups of beer (plus tip). It once again stages big-time entertainers, though the Lakers, Kings, and Clippers have all moved downtown to the Staples Center.

L.A. has a sizeable Korean-American community, but its members weren’t much in evidence at the Forum. Word of Golovkin’s Korean heritage is just beginning to get around. Boxing writer Steve Kim of the Undisputed Champion Network, sitting two seats down in the press section, noted that one of the big Korean-language TV networks also broadcast the fight.

As hapless but game Wade was counted out in round two, you had to wonder what Canelo Alvarez and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya were thinking. Canelo, 46-1-1, 32 KOs, defends his WBC middleweight title May 7 in Las Vegas against undersized Amir Khan.

GGG, who holds the WBA and IBF belts, calls out Mexico’s Canelo every chance he gets. Thanks to his punishing style, Golovkin, 35-0, 32 KOs, has attracted plenty of Latino fans himself, and it would be hard to find anyone in boxing who doesn’t long for a Canelo-GGG showdown.

The WBC is trying to force the match, but Canelo, 25, can afford to take his time and perhaps get around to Golovkin on the inevitable downward slide.

Ivan G. Goldman’s 5th novel The Debtor Class is a ‘gripping …triumphant read,’ says Publishers
Weekly
. A future cult classic with ‘howlingly funny dialogue,’ says Booklist. Available from Permanent Press wherever fine books are sold. Goldman is a New York Times best-selling author.

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