Gennady Golovkin vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. — What Will Really Happen?
As the rumored bout between Gennady Golovkin and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. comes closer to fruition, let’s take a look at how a fight between these two might actually play out….
Fast forward to the night of the fight. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. enters the ring a full 20 lbs heavier than Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin has not fought at 168 for a number of years and he is literally facing a cruiserweight in the ring.
The crowd is going wild as the two men rush to the center of the squared circle. GGG lands a smashing right hand to JCC Jr.’s jaw. No one has really been able to stand up to his punch. What happens when that does not happen? If nothing else, JCC Jr. has an iron chin and a great fighter’s will.
No one will argue that Golovkin is the more skilled fighter. He might certainly be the heavier puncher. But when the lights don’t turn off on JCC Jr., how will GGG respond?
I remember the first fight between Tyson and Evander Holyfield. Tyson has the same killer confidence as GGG possesses yet he could not move Holyfield with his punches. And we all know how that turned out. Many said that Tyson chewed on Holyfield’s ear in that second fight because of Holyfield’s butting tactics.
I believe that Holyfield simply willed himself to walk through Tyson’s punches. Tyson realized that all was lost. When his will was broken, Tyson reverted to street tactics. Once you remove the veil of invincibility from a fighter, you really find out what he or she may have.
In the great Marvin Hagler vs. Thomas Hearns war, Hearns rocked Hagler early in the 1st round but when Hagler later stood up to the same punches, Hearns was finished. So if it can happen to an all time great like Hearns, do I think that the same fate awaits Golovkin? No.
Golovkin is more than just a ferocious puncher. He is a cool and calculated bomber who has almost 400 amateur fights under his belt. GGG seems to have the uncanny ability to be totally relaxed in the ring. Does he have a plan B? I think he does.
But JCC Jr. is no slouch. He was rocked from pillar to post by Sergio Martinez and somehow summoned the will to push Martinez back on his heels. JCC Jr. almost ended the fight in the 12th round which would have been a monumental comeback. But he did not have enough in the end to put Martinez away for good. He is just a little bit short on pure boxing skill.
JCC Jr.’s heart is immense and it will be his greatest weapon besides his chin. Unfortunately against a fighter like Golovkin, JCC Jr.’s pride will also present the most significant danger that he faces.
So in the end, who prevails? Will it be Tyson vs. Holyfield or Hagler vs. Hearns?
I just think that Golovkin is a special fighter. It won’t just be his physical skills that defeat JCC Jr., but the intangibles that both men possess. I could see a rousing back and forth battle for a number of rounds. Both men will have their moments in this fight. But in the end, I see GGG raising his hand in a brutal TKO victory.
It will likely be an accumulation of punishment that eventually wears a game JCC Jr. down. Despite what most people may think, it won’t be easy for Golovkin. He will be tested. And that is why this fight promises to be a great show that all boxing fans will want to see.
