Tag Archives: Golovkin

Posted on 08/07/2019

By: Sean Crose

Gennady Golovkin is back in the middleweight title picture. Canelo Alvarez, who drew with Golovkin in highly controversial fashion in 2017, then bested Golovkin, again in controversial fashion, in 2018, had little interest in fighting the Kazakh warrior for a third time in three years, even though fans and the DAZN streaming service (which broadcasts both he and Golovkin’s fights) wanted to see the men face off again. Canelo, however, was stripped of the IBF belt he won from Daniel Jacobs earlier this year. Why? Because, after numerous extensions, he was unable to make a fight with mandatory contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

“Gennady has always been ready to fight him (Canelo), ready for that third fight,’’ Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler is quoted by the LA Times as saying. “But if not, he can’t wait. He has to move on.’’ Needless to say, the IBF has now ordered a bout between Derevynachenko and Golovkin for its vacant title. Which means Golovkin stands a chance of winning another top middleweight belt without having to face Canelo for it. Derevyanchenko has already fought for the IBF strap once before, dropping a split decision to the talented Daniel Jacobs last autumn.

ESPN quotes directly from a letter given to attorneys for both Golovkin and Derevyanchenko from the IBF’s Carlos Ortiz Jr: “The IBF middleweight title was declared vacant on August 1, 2019. The IBF is therefore ordering that a bout take place between the two highest ranked contenders to fill this vacancy.” This is all good news for Golovkin, of course, as Canelo, temporarily at least, had iced him out of a large portion of the middleweight title pie (the exceptionally talented Demetrius Andrade holds the WBO belt). Still, the 37 year old will have to get past the 33 year old Derevyanchenko before he can begin celebrating.

The camps for both Golovkin and Derevyanchenko will have to come to an agreement by early September. ESPN reports that DAZN is reportedly planning to air the fight between the two men on the fifth of October. This would be Golovkin’s second fight on the streaming service, one which will be part of a deal between the fighter and the service reportedly worth around one hundred million dollars. Naturally, DAZN would rather run a big money fight between Golovkin and Canelo, but Canelo isn’t budging at this point. What’s more, Canelo appears to be at odds with his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, over the events that led to him being stripped of the IBF belt.

Although Golovkin has never technically bested Canelo, most fans and analysts seem to agree he should have won the first of their two fights. Furthermore, many apparently believe the former king of the division won on both occasions. In short, Golovkin is a bit like Marvin Hagler and Jack Dempsey, two fighters who lost their most famous bouts in controversial fashion while maintaining their reputations and popularity.

Canelo’s next opponent has yet to be determined.

Posted on 06/11/2019

By Jonah Dylan

It was a weird boxing weekend. The biggest event was a non-title fight, and most of us were still getting over the shock of a week earlier, when Andy Ruiz upset Anthony Joshua to win three heavyweight titles. Still, we had the long-awaited return of GGG and a title defense from Oscar Valdez, so let’s jump right into the three takeaways from the weekend.

1. GGG may be 37, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the best fighters in the world

Listen, beating Steve Rolls is not particularly impressive. Even doing it the way Gennadiy Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) did isn’t particularly newsworthy, given that he pretty much did exactly what we’d expect. The chopping left hand he hurt Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs) with in the fourth round was a thing of beauty, and he finished him with a devastating shot that served as a kind of throwback to the guy that demolished everything in front of him during his remarkable 23-fight knockout streak. That he did it from the southpaw stance was all the more impressive.

Coming into the Rolls fight, three of Golovkin’s last four fights had gone the distance, but he’s either been fighting top-level competition (Danny Jacobs, Canelo Alvarez twice) or low-level foes (Vanes Martirosyan, Rolls), so it’s hard to really get a sense of where he’s at. This is a problem that will forever cloud his legacy, especially because he still doesn’t have a win against Canelo (for the record, the first fight wasn’t close, and I the second fight for him as well).

But alas, this is not the time to get into GGG’s legacy or his past fights. The guy is still at the top of the sport, and he has huge fights ahead of him. We don’t need to look back quite yet.

2. GGG-Canelo is the fight, and there’s only one person to blame if it doesn’t happen

After the fight, GGG didn’t try to play games, and he didn’t even call anyone out besides Canelo. That’s the fight to make in the middleweight division, and to be completely honest, it’s the fight to make in all of boxing. Joshua’s loss threw a wrench into Joshua-Wilder as the biggest fight in boxing, and Terence Crawford-Errol Spence is light years away from being a reality. Golovkin and Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) are both with DAZN and they’re both ready to fight in September. This shouldn’t be difficult.

Golden Boy seems to want to make it difficult, though. They’ve been throwing out Callum Smith’s name a lot, and he obviously wants the right for good reason (I looked at Smith’s problem in this spot last week). But it doesn’t make sense for anyone else. DAZN is paying a ton of money to both Alvarez and Golovkin, and they did it specifically for them to fight in September. Why else would Golovkin have made close to $15 million to fight a guy most boxing fans had never heard of?

So if the fight doesn’t happen, it’s 100% on Alvarez. Golovkin has pushed him further than anyone this side of Floyd Mayweather, and the idea that fans aren’t interested in seeing them fight again is ridiculous. There’s unfinished business, and there’s more money in that fight than any other fight for either Alvarez or Golvkin. It’s not even about who needs who. It just makes sense. If they aren’t standing across from each other on September 14, it’s because Alvarez didn’t want the fight.

The idea that Alvarez wouldn’t fight Golovkin without a belt is laughable, because Golovkin fought Alvarez twice as a unified champion when Alvarez didn’t have a belt (he vacated it to avoid fighting Golovkin earlier). Someone should remind Golden Boy of that.

3. Oscar Valdez has had his comeback fights, and now it’s time for bigger things

Sure, Oscar Valdez more than deserved a couple tune up fights after he broke his jaw against a much bigger Scott Quigg in March 2018. He knocked out Carmine Tommasone (19-1, 5 KOs) in February and then outpointed Jason Sanchez (14-1, 7 KOs) on Saturday. Valdez (26-0, 20 KOs) is certainly near the top of the featherweight division, and he’d be favored against almost anyone. So let’s get some of those fights.

The featherweight landscape looks like this: Top Rank has WBO titlist Valdez and a deal with IBF titlist Josh Warrington, while WBA titleholder Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1, 19 KOs) is with PBC and WBC titleholder Gary Russell Jr. (30-1, 18 KOs) has been with PBC but says he’s a free agent and was last seen meeting with Eddie Hearn. So it’s safe to say Valdez’ next fight likely won’t be against either Santa Cruz or Russell.

Top Rank seems to be grooming former two-division titlist Carl Frampton for a shot at Valdez, but can we take a second and ask why? Frampton (26-2, 15 KOs) is still a very good fighter, but he’s coming off a clear loss to Warrington. Since when does losing a fight earn you an immediate title shot against a different opponent? Frampton is returning for a comeback fight before a likely matchup with Valdez at the end of the year, but I don’t really get it.

Assuming Warrington (28-0, 6 KOs) gets past Kid Galahad (26-0, 15 KOs) on June 15, I’d like to see him and Valdez in a unification. That bout would pit two undefeated world titleholders – each with very unique and distinct styles – against each other in a true 50-50 fight. If we can’t get that – and there’s really no reason why we can’t, unless Galahad beats Warrington – I’d be interested to see Valdez against Shakur Stevenson (11-0, 6 KOs), who’s passed every test thrown at him with flying colors. It might be early for him to get a title shot, but he’d definitely want the fight, and we’d learn a lot about both guys. Regardless, Valdez needs to be fighting a top-level opponent next, especially because he’s planning to move up to junior lightweight in the very near future.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJonahDylan.

Posted on 06/10/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Gennady Golovkin (39-1-1, 35 KOs) looked impressive against Steve Rolls (19-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday June 8th. Rolls, to his credit didn’t just come in looking for a paycheck, he forced Golovkin to work for his victory. With 2019 quickly becoming the year of the underdog, it seemed as though Rolls was on his way to his own seismic upset as he landed a few eye catching shots in the second round. Golovkin put an end to that momentum in short order with an overhand left in the fourth round that saw Rolls hit the canvas face down. The crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City erupted as Rolls failed to beat the count.

Now that Golovkin has showed that he is still a force in the Middleweight division, he has a plethora of choices for his next contest. Let’s take a look at his best options.

Demetrius Andrade

Demetrius Andrade (27-0, 17 KOs) has the final piece of the Middleweight puzzle as he possesses the WBO crown. He’ll be putting it on the line against Maciej Sulecki June 29th. Barring a huge upset, it’s a contest that Andrade should come out victorious. If he does keep his undefeated record intact then a matchup between both Golovkin and Andrade should be next.

Golovkin has made it no secret that he wants a third fight with Canelo Alvarez. The new Middleweight kingpin however, has said time and time again that Golovkin would need to secure a title first before they would clash once again. If these words by Canelo ring true then Golovkin should shift his focus to Andrade. It’s a matchup that fans would want to see, and a victory would lead Golovkin to his long time adversary, Canelo Alvarez.

Jermall Charlo

Former IBF Jr Middleweight champion and current WBC interim Middleweight champion Jermall Charlo (28-0, 21 KOs) needs a big fight. Although he has proven to be a force in his short career, he hasn’t been able to get the big names in the sport of boxing to step inside of the ring with him. Making a matchup between Charlo and Golovkin could be tricky because they are aligned with opposite promoters and networks. With that being said however, this is a fight that needs to happen.

To the credit of Golovkin, he mentioned that a possible showdown with Charlo is one that he would invite with open arms.

“I think fights with new young fighters in the division is more interesting than facing the same people that I have in the past. He’s a good, undefeated fighter so why not.” Said Golovkin during his post fight victory interview over Steve Rolls.

There may not be a title on the line in this contest but the fireworks that would ensue would make fight fans everywhere ecstatic.

Canelo Alvarez

You can’t mention the name Canelo Alvarez (52-1-2, 35 KOs) without mentioning Gennady Golovkin shortly after. These two will forever be linked to one another. Many feel as though Golovkin should have been awarded the victory in both of their contest. Instead, he had to settle for a draw and the first defeat of his career.

When these two step inside of the ring against one another they deliver classic battles. With such a dominant victory by Golovkin, and unfinished business between these two Middleweight stars, a third fight between these two seems inevitable.

Posted on 06/08/2019

By: Sean Crose

The main card at Madison Square Garden began on Saturday with an 8 round super welterweight bout between the 8-0 Brian Ceballo and the 14-0-1 Bakhtiyar Eyubov. The first round was an exciting one, with both men swinging and landing effectively. Ceballo had a great second round, moving, sharp shooting and looking like the more skilled of the two. The third saw Ceballo giving a master class while Eyubov came forward like a bull. By the fourth, Eyubov was able to land a bit, but it may not have been enough to take the round.

Ceballo continued to pick away at his man in the fifth. The fight continued to be a clinic in the sixth. By the seventh it was clear the match was all but over. Ceballo cruised through the final round, got the UD win, and made himself a name to watch.

New Orleans’ Marcus McDaniel, 15-0, was up next as he faced the 14-0 Ali Akhmedov in a scheduled ten round super middleweight affair. Akhmedov came on strong in the first. The Kazakh fighter continued to be effectively aggressive in the second. A brutal assault of punches put McDaniel down in the third. McDaniel got up, but the fact that he wasn’t responding clearly caused the referee to stop the fight.

It was time for the main event. An energized looking 38-1-1 Gennady Golovkin stepped into the ring to face the 19-0 Steve Rolls in a scheduled 12 round bout at a catchweight of 164 lbs. Golovkin landed well in the first. The second round was very close. Golovkin landed well – but so did Rolls. The third was also close, though Golovkin landed more frequently. Rolls was holding his own in the fourth, but Golovkin’s combos started taking their toll. Then, with a missle-like left, Golovkin put Rolls smack on his face. The game Rolls tried to get back to his feet, but couldn’t beat the count.

After the bout, Golovkin made it clear that he was eager to face arch rival Canelo Alvarez for a third time. With both fighters operating out of the DAZN tent, a third go round in the controversial Canelo-GGG saga may well be likely.

Posted on 06/07/2019

By: Sean Crose

Gennady Golovkin will be returning to the ring this Saturday night after a nine month hiatus. It is supposed to be the beginning of a new era for the Kazakh warrior, who was last seen losing a controversial decision to Canelo Alvarez last September. For starters, the former middleweight titlist will be making his debut on the DAZN streaming service. He will also be fighting for the first time under the tutelage of trainer Jonathan Banks, after having broken with long time corner man Able Sanchez. In the leadup to GGGs return, however, one piece of the puzzle has been largely overlooked – Golovkin’s opponent, Steve Rolls.

“You can look at me as an underdog,” says the undefeated 19-0 fighter “but in my mind, I’m the best investment this side of Wall Street…GGG is going to face boxing’s version of Kawhi Leonard on June 8.” Undoubtedly most fans and analysts haven’t given the Toronto native much of a chance. Golovkin is seen as merely taking a tuneup this Saturday on his way to a potential third match with Canelo. Since last weekend’s stunning heavyweight title bout between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz, however, the boxing world has been reminded that anything can happen in the ring.

Should Rolls upset Golovkin as Ruiz upset Joshua, the future will be blindingly bright for the virtually unknown Rolls. Although he has yet to defeat anyone truly of note, the fighter can put punches together fluidly, and knows how to work the body well. His low hanging left hand may prove problematic against someone who hits with the power Golovkin does, but if Rolls shoulder roll defense is up to par, it might not be an issue. Rolls also has an ability to work on the inside well, something which may prove to be beneficial come this weekend.

The hurdle Rolls most overcome however, is not only Golovkin’s power, but the fighter’s skill. Far more than just a puncher, Golovkin has masterful balance and footwork. He’s also hard to frustrate (something which couldn’t be said for Joshua last weekend), and has a dedication to the craft which is almost frightening. “Boxing is no game,” he says. “I want a war. I have trained for a war. That’s why boxing fans enjoy the Big Drama Show. I come to fight.” Golovkin will probably be entering the ring looking to make a statement on Saturday. As Ruiz proved against Joshua, however, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the statement is made by the fighter everyone has already written off.

Posted on 05/06/2019

By: Waqas Ali

Saul Canelo Alvarez is on the verge of facing rival opponent Gennady Golovkin or American Demetrius Andrade.

The Mexican superstar recently defeated former world champion Daniel Jacobs in a twelve round unification bout on Saturday night.

The bout took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with over 20,000 in attendance.

Alvarez took Jacobs’ IBF middleweight title and added that to his WBA, WBC and Ring Magazine belts.

Making him one belt away from the WBO claimed by Andrade.

In the first round, both fighters were caution with their punches. Carefully not trying to get countered as they go on. In the last minute of the round, Jacobs (35-3) increased his activity level to try and steal the round.

Jacobs would take the early rounds based on his activity level and would often land some hooks on top to win rounds.

In the fourth round, Alvarez (52-1-2) came back with punches of his own and around the 43-second mark, Alvarez connected three straight left hands to Jacobs that got the pro-Alvarez crowd on the edge of their seats.

In round nine, as Alvarez continued to dominate with his power punches and swiftly providing good head movement and footwork, he was hit with a massive over-left hook by Jacobs that didn’t even drop him.

It was perhaps the most memorable punch in the entire fight.

At the end of the fight, Judges scored the fight 115-113, 115-113, 116-112 in Canelo’s favour after 12 rounds.

According to Compubox stats, Alvarez landed 188 of 466 (40%) punches thrown, whereas Jacobs landed 131 of 649 (20%) attempted.

Alvarez landed 121 of his power shots and connected at 45%. Also, in round 11 he landed 55% of his power punches.

For Jacobs, 32, this was a complete downfall statistic for him as he landed 32% in his previous eight fights. He landed 7 power shots per round in this fight with Alvarez after landing 12 per round in his previous eight fights.

Officially, Alvarez has had two bouts under the super-middleweight division and five at middleweight.

The question now remains is: Will Alvarez fight Golovkin for a third time or attempt for a fourth world title fight against Andrade?

During the build-up of the Jacob-Alvarez bout, ‘Canelo’ stated his desire to aim for the WBO belt and add to his collection.

“Nobody in Mexico has ever done that, won all four belts in one division, so that’s my motivation,” Alvarez said, before the Jacobs fight.

However, after defeating Jacobs, Alvarez is open to fighting Golovkin too.

“I’m just looking for the biggest challenge. That’s all I want. No, for me, it’s over,” he said regarding any unfinished business with Golovkin.

“But if the people want another fight, we’ll do it again, and I’ll beat him again.

“That’s why I’m here. That’s what I was born for — to fight, to defend what’s mine. I’ll fight anyone.

Gennady Golovkin is a fighter with an exceptional power ratio of 87% and known for activeness, punching ability, calculating puncher and haymaker hunting.

He had a 23 knockout win streak dating from June 2008 – March 2017.

Both fights with Alvarez were close in their respected styles and performances. Fans on the Golovkin side firmly believe that both results of the bouts were exceptional robberies.

Both GGG and Andrade have fights later this year and have to win in order to secure themselves a bout with Alvarez.
By the numbers, Golovkin who is ranked no.3 Pound for Pound (by Boxrec), throws at a high amount of 64 punches which is nine more than the average middleweight (55) and lands at 25 (39%). The average middleweight lands at just 16 (30%).

In the power punching department, Golovkin throws around 35 with a connect rate of 44%. The average middleweight throws around 31 with a rate of 37%.

With regards to Andrade, his record consists of 26 wins (16 KOs) and zero defeats.

In the amateurs, he defeated future world champions like Keith Thurman, Austin Trout and Daniel Jacobs.

The 30-year-old, who holds the WBO middleweight belt has a great sense of style of being cautionary with his combinations and as a southpaw can be a limit for his conventional opponents on landing their jab.

His body movement is a positive asset, considering the fact that he is able to move away from any return shots.

Alvarez has not faced a competitive southpaw with lateral foot movement since Erislandy Lara in July 2014 in which he only landed five jabs out of his 97 landing total. A bout with these two would be interesting.

In terms of statistical data, he throws around 60 and lands at 18 (30%). By the power punches, he attempts 32 with a connect rate of 45%.

Another fighter that has entered the debate but not on the mainstream spectrum as of yet is current WBA and Ring Magazine Super-middleweight champion. Callum Smith. The Liverpool-born fighter has a record of 25 wins and no defeats.

He’s also tall with a height 6 feet 3 inches and a reach advantage of 78 inches. Smith is known for his active punching ability and body shots. Ironically, body shots are also favouritism of Alvarez’s punching of expertise.
Especially the left hook to the body.

His notable opponents that he defeated are Rocky Fielding & George Groves.

According to a poll conducted by Editinking, out of 5,100 plus voters, 59% chose Alvarez to beat Smith and 41% for the English fighter.

Canelo vs Callum Smith

90,000 Wembley Stadium

Who wins at super middleweight?

— EditinKing Boxing (@EditinKing) May 5, 2019

The boxing world is up and rolling by naming who should Alvarez fight next. Both fights are interesting as many of the Golovkin fans want to see vengeance taken against the Mexican based on the last two disputed results. Politics is a dangerous game and has a long history with boxing. Going as far as 150 years ago. Andrade is in a good position as he could prove how much has in value of his style and skills against one of the biggest names in boxing today. Though he did not manage to prove his name against Billy Joe Saunders but no doubt against Alvarez, it will be a mega-fight. Smith is a good name and also a possible threat to Alvarez. He’s tall and possesses good power to really knock his opponent off the canvas. Being England and his hometown of Liverpool, the fight would definitely be a huge sell in the UK. Venues like the Echo Arena, Manchester Arena, O2 or even Wembley stadium would be a big attraction. Liverpool is a passionate crowd for their heroes and figures and are always behind them. It wouldn’t be a surprise to many if a crowd was a majority pro-Smith rather than pro-Alvarez in the UK.

Posted on 05/02/2019

By: Oliver McManus

Canelo Alvarez will look to add the IBF world title to his, already, unified collection from the WBA and WBC when he takes on Daniel Jacobs in Las Vegas, this Saturday. Jacobs brings that third strap to the table having won the vacant title in October, courtesy of a split-decision victory over Sergiy Derevyanchenko. Likewise with Crawford-Khan, this isn’t a preview or a breakdown but just some thoughts.

The 32 year old from Brownsville, New York, has been blowing hot and cold over the last two years with that Derevyanchenko fight being closer than necessary but, before that, registering a comfortable win over Maciej Sulecki. Alvarez, meanwhile, is looking to shake off any remaining critics with another emphatic victory – he’ll hope to replicate his three round breakdown of, an overmatched, Rocky Fielding.

Photo Credit: Tom Hogan-Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

The fight itself is an interesting one with Alvarez understandably the betting favourite but Jacobs is far from mismatched. Fielding was dealt with in merciless fashion and looked to be out of his depth from the first punch – but that wasn’t unexpected and certainly not a slur on the Merseyside man. Jacobs, conversely, comes into this fight with a proven track record at world level. More frighteningly, he backs that up with the consistency of finding finishes on the big stage. Against Caleb Truax he looked, for all the world, to be cruising towards victory but still opted to push forward and secure a knockout with less than a minute to go; Peter Quillin was dealt with in less than a round and; Sergio Mora found himself hitting the canvas on seven occasions in a little over 25 minutes.

Canelo, aside, the Miracle Man was responsible for the providing the sternest challenge to Gennady Golovkin. In March 2017 he piled the pressure on the Kazakh, former, kingpin and but for a fourth round knockdown would have been on course to rip the unified belts away from their long-time holder. Now I enjoy watching Jacobs box for he’s rarely boring but I often forget he’s been a world champion, on and off, since 2014.

Now that is an issue because it doesn’t pay to be a forgotten world champion and, arguably, Jacobs is as best known for his loss against Golovkin as he is any of his world title wins – despite their abrupt finishes. I like the fact he jumped at the chance to fight Golovkin and is doing so against Canelo but it all feels at the wrong time. Momentum is a big thing in boxing and we saw that play a part, certainly I feel, in his contest with Triple G. Coming off the back of five top-drawer performances there was an aura around him but he approaches this Canelo contest with one average performance in his bag, I’d have liked to see him have a couple defences, loosen up and then go for the jugular.

All that being said I don’t imagine it would have made much difference, such is the irreproachable form of Alvarez in recent fights. The Mexican learned from that first contest with GGG and actively changed his game-plan for the second bout to give him a righteous win. Throughout his career we have seen the effortless power that he possesses with a particular menace for shots to the body. In doing so he doesn’t just beat his opponents through outright brutality but systematically breaks their resistance, mentally and physically, punch by punch.
Make what you will of the whole Clenbuterol case but that seems to be fading into the background, for now at least. I find it more remarkable, although probably not surprising, just how far in the pocket of Canelo the WBC are. I can’t remember a time where the president of a governing body has seemingly been toing the line of a fighter and not vice versa. Of course there are allegiances between fighters, promoters and governing bodies but it all seems rather weird in the context of Canelo and Mauricio Sulaiman. Like that “uncle” in the family who no-one is related to.

The 28 year old continues to push for his position at the top of the pound-for-pound list and it is hard to argue with him sitting pretty as number one. Of course a name like Lomachenko is a worthy challenger but when you consider the fact Alvarez turned professional at the age of 15 – without all that stellar amateur pedigree – and has remained, pretty much, at the top of the sport since 2011 then that’s where Canelo starts to edge ahead. For me, anyway.

An, expected, win against Daniel Jacobs would see Alvarez unify belts for the third time in his career. With Jaime Munguia seemingly set on moving up to middleweight, let’s get that Mexican feast on for September and do it in Mexico – do it at the Estadio Jalisco – and create one of the most insane fight experiences in recent memory. I’m allowed to look past Jacobs, though, I’m not fighting him but, for now, the task ahead is on May 4th.

Will the Miracle Man be left needing one or can he turn Saul’s celebrations sour? Tune in exclusively on DAZN to find out and catch the full fight card featuring John Ryder vs Bilal Akkawy as chief support.

Posted on 04/25/2019

By: Sean Crose

“I would like to announce that I have made a major decision for myself and for my career,” Gennady Golovkin informed the media on Wednesday. That decision? To break with longtime trainer Abel Sanchez, the Big Bear cornerman who many have felt led Golovkin to the pinnacle of the fight game. Golovkin went on to claim that he would announce who his new trainer will be at a later date. As for Sanchez, Golovkin essentially stated that he was thankful for all the man had done for him, but that it was simply for the best that he, Golovkin, move on.

A short time later, Sanchez himself responded to the the breakup. “After a great nine year run,” Sanchez claimed , “records set, and equaled, developing a Hall of Fame career and making it possible to sign a 6 fight $100 million with DAZN, he (Golovkin) proposed and insisted on an insulting new trainer compensation schedule.” Clearly bitter over this latest development, Sanchez went on to claim his “dignity and honor” would not allow him to indulge his former protege’s wishes. To Sanchez, the relationship with Golovkin ended because of GGG’s “being greedy, being ungrateful,” and having no “ethics, honor, or integrity.”

Seen as a kind of dynamic duo, Golovkin and Sanchez first joined forces in 2010. Since that time, Golovkin has earned a record of 20 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. The loss and draw, it should be added, were both delivered courtesy of Vegas judges in highly controversial fashion when Golovkin faced Canelo Alvarez for middleweight supremacy in 2017 and 2018 respectively. When Golovkin faces his next opponent, Steve Rolls, on June 8th at Madison Square Garden, it will be his first time fighting without Sanchez in his corner in almost a decade.

Golovkin teamed up with the DAZN streaming service back in March, to much ballyhoo. At the time, it seemed as if he and Sanchez were still close, as the trainer went so far as to comment on how his fighter, who was almost 37, was holding up as the years pass on. “I can only gauge in the fight,”Sanchez stated at the time. “There’s not anyone that has dominated him or in the gym. He’s fighting at his top level.” Someone may indeed prove that Golovkin is showing his age. Sanchez, however, will not be by the man’s side if and when it happens.

Posted on 04/23/2019

By: Hans Themistode

It’s official. Former unified Middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (GGG) will make his return to the ring on June 8th, at Madison Square Garden. Steve Rolls will be given the task of spoiling his return.

Not much is known of Rolls, he sports an undefeated record at 19-0 to go along with 10 knockouts but he hasn’t fought anyone of note. For Rolls, stepping up his level of competition so drastically will be a difficult one, but he feels as though he is up to the task.

“Honestly, I wanted to face someone in the top 15 or even the top 20 before facing a guy like GGG but I could not pass up on this opportunity.” Said Rolls during a media day scrum in New York City.

Rolls is in a difficult position. Opportunities such as these don’t come everyday. He has been quietly building up his resume against lesser opposition but will now be thrown into the deep end.

Outside of Rolls and his team, you wont find anyone who gives him any chance against the future hall of famer. The naysayers don’t mean anything to him. Sure GGG will be a difficult fight but Rolls has shared the ring with plenty of great fighters and former champions as well.

“I’ve sparred against the likes of Adonis Stevenson and Billy Joe Saunders and they have told me on numerous occasions that I held my own. People that have watched those sparring sessions have said that it looked as though I was a champion myself. I know that sparring and an actual fight is completely different but I believe that those moments have prepared me for June 8th.”

As for GGG, he will be looking to right a wrong. Many felt that he won both of fights against Canelo Alvarez. Unfortunately he was forced to settle for a draw in the first contest and a loss in the second. What exactly does he want to do now? He is now signed to DAZN and has the opportunity to regain his championship status as every Middleweight belt holder is signed to the streaming platform. It seems as though the belts are not as important to him as they once were.

“I’ve been a champion for a longtime. I am now in a point in my career, where I am wiser. I have learned from my previous fights. I would like to fight good fights, whether these fights are going to be championship fights or not is not as important as the quality of the fighting.” Said GGG.

Having shared the ring with Daniel Jacobs and Canelo Alvarez, GGG would be the ideal person to ask his opinion on how their May 4th, showdown will play out. However, GGG could not provide an answer in terms of who he believed will be victorious.

“I think it’s very hard to predict. It’s going to be a very important fight for the middleweight division and for boxing in general. It’s pretty even keel. Everyone has a chance. Everyone has a possibility to win. This is boxing, this is even stuff. It’s going to be an interesting fight no matter what.”

The prevailing thought in boxing circles is that if GGG is the victor on June 8th, and Canelo also gets the job done against Jacobs, that a third fight between these two would be made for September. The only problem with that thought is that Canelo has said on numerous occasions that he will only fight GGG if he has a belt. GGG, isn’t buying that notion.

“I think Canelo is not correct to say that. We have to see what’s going to happen. I’m hoping to fight him, title or not.”

GGG undoubtedly has his eyes set on a third showdown with Canelo. Steve Rolls, will get the chance to play spoiler. As we have seen time and time again in boxing, not everything always go according to plan.

Posted on 04/16/2019

It’s a whole new ballgame for boxing’s pound-for-pound superstar attraction GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN! Golovkin (38-1-1, 34 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan, brings his Big Drama Show back to the “Mecca of Boxing” — Madison Square Garden for the first time in over two years in his eagerly-awaited DAZN debut on Saturday, June 8. Golovkin, whose resume includes a record 20 consecutive middleweight title defenses (18 by way of knockout), has consistently drawn packed houses to the five previous events he has headlined at The Garden, dating back to 2013. He will rumble with undefeated Top-10 contender and Kronk Gym alumnus STEVE ROLLS (19-0, 10 KOs), from Toronto, Canada, in a battle, scheduled for 12 rounds, at a maximum weight of 164 lbs.

Golovkin vs. Rolls kicks off the exclusive six-fight, three-year global partnership between GGG Promotions and DAZN, the world’s fastest-growing sports streaming platform.

A two-city press tour, featuring both fighters, will take place next week, starting at Madison Square Garden on Monday, April 22, and concluding in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 23. Details on those events will be forthcoming.

Promoted by GGG Promotions, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets to The Big Apple battle between Golovkin and Rolls go on sale This Saturday, April 20, at Noon ET. Priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, and $50, not including fees, tickets may be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at www.ticketmaster.com and www.msg.com.

Notably, this will be the second of two major boxing events The Garden will host on back-to-back boxing weekends – both of which will be live exclusively on DAZN. England’s Anthony Joshua will make his United States and Madison Square Garden debut in a defense of his unified heavyweight title against Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller on June 1, just one week before Golovkin’s highly anticipated return on June 8.

“I am very excited to be returning to the ring and bringing the Big Drama Show back to Madison Square Garden. The Garden’s fans are fantastic,” said Golovkin. “I love boxing and I promise to bring the best of me to everyone who will be watching me in an all-action fight with Steve Rolls. I am very happy that GGG Promotions has a new home at DAZN.”

“I want to sincerely thank DAZN and GGG himself for giving me the opportunity to challenge one of the best fighters in the world,” said Rolls. “But let me be clear: I’ve won national championships and represented my country, and Golovkin is just a man. I’m coming to win this fight and put my name among the best middleweights in the world.”

“Gennady Golovkin is one of the top middleweights of all-time, and as part of DAZN’s growing roster of premiere fighters and our ongoing promise to deliver the best fights to fans, we are thrilled to kick off this exciting partnership at the iconic Madison Square Garden,” said Joseph Markowski, DAZN Executive Vice President, North America. “It will surely be an electric night and just the beginning of this next chapter of Golovkin’s impressive legacy.”

Golovkin, 37, has reigned supreme in the Middleweight Division for nearly a decade. Eighteen of his record 20 title defenses came by way of knockout — a 90% ratio — which is sure to remain the division’s highest knockout percentage for a world champion. Golovkin’s tenure as champion ended when he lost a hotly disputed majority decision in a rematch with Canelo Alvarez last September. A dominant amateur standout and Olympic Silver Medalist before turning professional in 2006, Golovkin’s career has been on a historic trajectory, including a 23-fight victory-by-knockout streak and unifying the WBC, WBA, IBF and IBO World Middleweight Titles. Golovkin has also proven himself to be box office gold. He has sold out the most iconic arenas of the world, including Madison Square Garden, T-Mobile Arena, O2 Arena, The Fabulous Forum, and StubHub Center.

Rolls, 35, making his debut at The Garden, will be looking to ice Golovkin with his version of a Canadian cold front. In his most recent fight, he won the vacant USBA middleweight title last December, via unanimous decision, over KeAndrae Leatherwood. World-rated No. 9 rated by the IBF, Rolls has stopped four of his last seven opponents while keeping his record perfect.

Posted on 04/11/2019

By: Sean Crose

Middleweight powerhouse Gennady Golovkin recently signed a highly publicized and lucrative deal with DAZN streaming service. The deal meant that the former titlist would now be fighting under the same broadcast banner as fellow division elites Canelo Alvarez, Daniel Jacobs and Demetrius Andrade. Some immediately assumed that a third fight with arch rival Canelo would subsequently be right around the corner. Yet Canelo surprised a few people during a Tuesday conference call when he indicated he’d only be willing to face Golovkin for a major belt – something Golovkin no longer has thanks to some controversial judging during his last fight with Canelo.

In an exclusive videotaped interview with Boxing Insider, Golovkin’s longtime promoter, K2 Promotions honcho Tom Loeffler further raised eyebrows by making it clear that Golovkin may still very well be one of the most avoided fighters in the world. Speaking from Gallagher’s Steak House in New York City in the leadup to Saturday’s Christina Hammer-Claressa Shields women’s middleweight superbout, Loeffler claimed that Golovkin “ took some time off. He had so many offers from television companies.” The promoter then said that getting top competition for his fighter was still a hassle, which means things were much as they had been before Golovkin was able to get Canelo in the ring for their two highly debated bouts.

“That’s the one thing we couldn’t accomplish with GGG,” Loeffler said, “even though I thought he would be the easiest one to go after all the champions. We made offers two, three times what they had made their biggest payday before and he was willing to fly to their home countries to challenge for the title, to collect the titles.” Still, no one took team Golovkin up on its offer. Loeffler didn’t name names, but his statement will clearly have people guessing who the uninterested parties might be.

“There’s so many guys out there,” Loeffler continued, letting it be known that Golovkin will still be fighting in the near future. with or without a high level dance partner. “We’ll make an announcement pretty soon,” he said. “It’s premature to really say who he’s going to fight or what day he’s going to fight until something’s signed. We’ve got to wait until something’s finalized.”

Loeffler also weighed in on May’s much anticipated Canelo-Jacobs bout.

“With that one I gotta lean, just from the boxing side, I gotta lean with Canelo,” Loeffler said. “I think Canelo learned a lot from the first fight with GGG. GGG clearly won the first fight. You could see his confidence got a lot better, a lot stronger in the second fight. We feel GGG won the second fight, at worst a draw, but you’ve got to give Canelo a lot of credit. He fought more aggressively and I feel right now Canelo is on that projection. You saw what he did with Rocky Fielding. I think he’s on that projection where he’s right there at the top of the division. So, I would lean towards Canelo on that fight.”

Posted on 03/12/2019

By: Sean Crose

“It’s no secret,” Gennady Golovkin said on Monday, “I had other offers from other companies. Right now I have the best partner that will let me now promote fighters on GGG Promotions and me as a fighter.” Golovkin had gathered together with Brian Kenny, trainer Abel Sanchez, DAZN honcho John Skipper, and a translator at LA’s Conga Room to promote his new deal with the DAZN streaming service. The contract with DAZN, which covers six Golovkin fights as well as bouts for the boxers Golovkin plans to promote, has been highly touted, as Golovkin is one of the most well regarded and popular fighters in the sport. “I hope I can do six fights,” Golovkin said. “I feel great! After six fights I’ll see what I can do, but have to focus on these six fights.”

“I had a chance to meet his wife and had a chance to see his new son,” Skipper, who is DAZN’s Group Executive Chairman, said of the leadup to the lucrative deal. “This took a long (time) because this is a lifetime decision. This is a moment in boxing where I think things are changing and what I think we will be able to do is bring the best fights back to fans and Gennady wanted to be part of that. It was complicated and it’s (a) decision he’s making on his life.”

The conversation, of course, got around to a potential third fight between Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, who also now fights on DAZN.

“Our intention is to bring fans the best fights and the fights they most want to see,” said Skipper. “A third fight between Gennady and Canelo is what fans want to see. We’re focused right now on May 4 with Canelo and Daniel Jacobs. Jacobs happens to be a DAZN fighter and we’re focused on the fight Gennady will have in June, which we also expect to be a difficult fight. He’s only interested in fighting appropriate opponents. So we’re going to focus on those fights and see what happens.”

Now that he’s in his late 30s, there are those who feel Golovkin is past his prime, whether he has a lucrative streaming deal or not. Yet Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, claimed he hasn’t noticed any slippage in the ring. “I can only gauge in the fight,”Sanchez said of his fighter. “There’s not anyone that has dominated him or in the gym. He’s fighting at his top level. I imagine there’s but until someone proves it to me in the ring I have to say no.”

Posted on 03/08/2019

By: Sean Crose

DAZN streaming service announced early Friday morning that it had signed “Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin will fight the rest of his career on DAZN, the world’s largest sports streaming platform.” By signing the former middleweight champion, DAZN has effectively rounded up some of the biggest names in the sport of boxing. Aside from Golovkin, Canelo Alvarez, and heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua have also signed with DAZN. That’s a huge percentage of top moneymakers fighting on a broadcast format that eschews the Pay Per View model.

DAZN, which has presented itself as an alternative to the expensive practice of broadcasting fights via Pay Per View, is paying out enormous sums of money to get fighters such as Golovkin onto its platform. Canelo, for instance, has reportedly become the highest paid athlete in the world, thanks to his deal with DAZN, which guarantees the popular star over three hundred and sixty million dollars over the course of five years (and over ten fights).

As for Golovkin, DAZN claims “The six-fight global partnership between GGG Promotions and DAZN will see Golovkin fight twice a year on the platform for the next three years. Unlike many of his recent bouts, Golovkin will no longer appear on pay-per-view. Instead, his fights will be available to all DAZN subscribers at no extra charge. In addition, GGG Promotions will present two cards per year on DAZN beginning in 2020.”

“DAZN has quickly become the new home of boxing by making the biggest events easily available to the fans,” Golovkin is quoted as saying. “When deciding on where I wanted to continue my career, DAZN’s global vision perfectly matched my goals – not just for my career but the opportunity to showcase talented Eastern European fighters to the world. Thank you to my fans for all of the loyal support and I look forward to you joining me on DAZN.”

With the acquisition of Golovkin, DAZN has, for all intents and purposes, wrapped up the contemporary middleweight division. Although top middleweights such as Jermall Charlo fight outside of the DAZN universe, Golovkin, Canelo, Daniel Jacobs and WBO champ Demetrius Andrade are now all DAZN fighters. “The announcement sets up DAZN to stream blockbuster fights within the middleweight division for the foreseeable future,” the streaming service states, with all of the

Posted on 02/25/2019

By: Sean Crose

According to Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine, Gennady Golovkin is on the verge of making a massive deal with the DAZN streaming service. If true, the deal will put an end to months of speculation regarding the Kazakh middleweight. Golovkin, who is now entering his late thirties, hasn’t fought since he lost a controversial decision to Canelo Alvarez last September – the second controversial decision to keep Golovkin from earning a win over Canelo in as many fights. If the DAZN deal goes through, however, the former middleweight kingpin may very well get a chance to face his arch rival in the ring again – for Canelo now fights exclusively on DAZN himself.

The reported deal will consist of at least three matches, though Golovkin may end up doubling that amount. The fighter would bring in 10 million dollars for his first fight, which would perhaps go down in the spring. Should Golovkin win that first match, and Canelo win his much anticipated May 4th bout against Daniel Jacobs, Golovkin might then make about thirty million to have a third go-round with Canelo in the autumn. Golovkin is also said to have been offered equity in DAZN should he agree to sign on with the streaming service…and the opportunity to showcase the fighters he intends to promote on the service, as well.

Golovkin’s next move has been on the minds of fans and analysts for some time now. A popular fighter arguably just slightly past his prime, Golovkin brings a reputation for excitement to any company that takes him aboard due to his fan friendly style. With such outlets as Al Haymon’s Premiere Boxing Champions undoubtedly eager to have the fighter among its ranks, Golovkin has been able to pick and choose which entity he feels would be right for him. With Canelo, Demetrius Andrade, and former opponent Daniel Jacobs already with DAZN, however, the choice may well have been obvious – provided Golovkin was offered the right financial incentive to sign.

The 38-1-1 fighter was one of the star attractions of HBOs boxing programming for years. HBO brass grew bored of boxing, however, and finally pulled the plug on its broadcasting of fights some months ago. Since that time, Golovkin has essentially been a free agent as far as broadcasters are concerned. Should he decide to sign with DAZN, the streaming service will clearly be the de facto home for the middleweight division.

Posted on 01/28/2019

By: Michael Kane

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez is scheduled to fight Daniel Jacobs on May 4th. However before this fight was sealed and made official, it was expected Canleo would fight Gennady Golovkin for the third time.

Golden Boy Promotions boss, Oscar De La Hoya, still expects a trilogy fight between the two to come to fruition.

De La Hoya was asked about a trilogy fight with GGG and he responded, “There’s no doubt whatsoever,” he replied in an interview with Fox Sports Asia.

“Canelo wants to fight the very best, and I can assure you that, third time around, Canelo will knock him out.”

However, Canelo fist has the not so small task of fighting Daniel Jacobs, the first fighter to take GGG the distance when he lost by unanimous decision in 2017.

Golovkin is a free agent at the moment and the likelihood of a third fight materializing would ony likely happen if GGG signs with DAZN.

According to De La Hoya the negotiations for the Jacobs fight were straight forward after he used social media to coax Jacobs team into negotiations.

“[It was the] last second, the 11th hour,” said De La Hoya. “I was one night tweeting and said to myself, ‘how am I going to make this happen?’.

“I sent out a tweet that said we were going to talk to GGG and make the third fight happen and Jacobs’ promoter, Matchroom Boxing, called [Golden Boy president] Eric Gomes the next day and said you have a fight with Jacobs.

“My plan worked – now we have one of the best middleweights fights in recent years.”