May 21, 2024

Golovkin: Boxing Needed This Fight

Fightnews.com

By Miguel Maravilla

Undisputed middleweight world champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) of Kazakhstan will take on Mexican superstar Ring Magazine middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in the biggest fight in boxing September 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas live on HBO Pay per view. Fightnews.com® caught up with the “Big Drama Show” as he talked to us about his upcoming showdown.

Photo: Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions

“This is huge for the sport. Everyone knows Canelo is a big fighter. Boxing needed this fight,” Gennady Golovkin told Fightnews.com “I was happy when we made the deal. Now we have a real deal. I feel good. We have a Mexican style,”

Golovkin is coming off a unanimous decision over Daniel Jacobs this past February at Madison Square Garden. Unifying the WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO middleweight titles as it was the first time Golovkin went the distance 12 rounds.

“I felt really comfortable but it was not an easy fight,” Golovkin on the Jacobs fight.

“GGG” joins the list of undisputed middleweight champions a division that has had its rich tradition and history from Sugar Ray Robinson to the present. Golovkin shared his thoughts on being part of the middleweight history.

“This is special for us everyone knows the history of the middleweight division. Sugar Ray Robinson, Carlos Monzon, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, and Bernard Hopkins,”

When asked about his opponent Golovkin answered, “Canelo is a special guy and he is a national hero for Mexico.”

For Canelo, he is coming off a one-sided unanimous decision over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. last month and prior to that he scored a pair of devastating knockouts in 2016 over Amir Khan on Cinco de Mayo weekend and Liam Smith on Mexican Independence Day weekend.

“Canelo last couple of fights he has looked serious,” Golovkin said about Canelo “He destroyed him every round he looked good, Canelo looked good it was like a sparring. Chavez Jr. last 2-3 years looked bad, not like championship quality fighter,”

These two fighters are no strangers as they served as sparring partners back in 2012 in Big Bear, California.

“That was a long time ago. Now he is different and the same for me,” Golovkin said. “Sparring is different from a fight but I enjoyed training with him it was a good experience,” Golovkin added.

Camp begins in July for Golovkin with trainer Abel Sanchez as they will head up to train at the Summit in the high altitude Southern California mountains of Big Bear, California to begin their preparation for Canelo.

“I am waiting for my coach to call but I am ready,” Golovkin said.

Golovkin vs. Canelo will be a scheduled 12 round middleweight championship unification bout as Golovkin looks to retain his titles and remain the undisputed champion.

“I am focused on Canelo 100 percent,”

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