Saturday night, in front of a crowd of 8,572, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin took care of business against Daniel Geale. From the starting bell the Kazakhstan warrior dictated the tempo. But Daniel Geale looked determined to somehow make this fight go the distance. He landed a decent upper cut early in the round, and later landed a big right hook.
In the later portions of the round, in what was a peculiar situation, Geale tripped on a cameraman’s strap, as he was backed up against the ropes. Somehow, after that bizarre event, the time keeper was thrown off and the round became a four minute one.
In the second round, Golovkin showed why he’s so feared. He came out with relentless force, and began to pick up the pace, sending Geale down to the canvas. The third round proved to be more of the same. Golovkin cut off the ring, put the pressure on, and dominated the action. Geale tried to keep the rabid Golovkin off of him, retaliating with a big punch of his own.
The Australian native landed the punch right on the button, but Golovkin walked right through it, and threw a devastating punch in return. The punch was the final nail in the coffin, as Geale hit the canvas. Seconds later, the referee felt that Geale had enough, and called an end to the bout.
So what’s next for Golovkin? There are plenty of options out there, but the question remains- who is willing to step in the ring with him?
I asked Abel Sanchez if people are scared to step into the ring with Gennady, in which he replied.
“I don’t think they’re scared. I think this is boxing; this is a business, most of all,” he said. “They’re trying to maximize whatever it is that they can- maximize their potential and earning potential.”
And if “GGG” keeps up this torrid pace, he will soon become one of those guys to bring in the big bucks. He’s becoming a big draw in New York, and in arena which is always full of stars, it was Gennady who shined the brightest.
That brings us to Miguel Cotto, one of the biggest draws at Madison Square Garden. This is the fight that makes the most sense, the one that the fans want to see. Cotto is the recognized champion at 160 lbs, and has the biggest name recognition. He’s coming off a huge win, and looks like a reinvented fighter.
K2 promoter, Todd Loeffler spoke on the situation: “A fight between Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto at the big arena, here at Madison Square Garden. There is no bigger fight that can be made right now in New York City. And that would be at the top of the list for me.”
It’s something the fans want to see, but it might have to wait until the money is right. If Golovkin keeps mowing down opponents then the demand for the fight will gradually increase.
Golovkin said last night: “I think that my fans and all people, they understand boxing, they love a style like my style, you know like Mexican style. Just fight, it’s not boxing, just fight”!
Then there is Julio Caesar Chavez Jr., a fight which was almost made, but disintegrated during the negotiations. But Chavez will need to face another viable opponent soon to maintain his reputation as someone worthy of fighting, and not just a big name.
Golovkin seems pretty comfortable at 160, but has claimed that he would be willing to move up or down in weight. In the other direction, an interesting fight could potentially be against another Mexican opponent in Saul Alvarez. Canelo might soon be moving up in weight, but would a Golovkin fight be wise for his camp? Golovkin poses a major threat to Alvarez, and a loss could be detrimental to Canelo as a pay-per-view draw.
Back at super middleweight, he could also chase after a guy like Carl Froch. After the fight aired on HBO, Max Kellerman and Jim Lampley discussed the potential of a Froch fight, and read a quote on-air which seemed that Froch would like to potentially steer clear of Golovkin.
“Gennady would go to 168, Carl Froch sold 80,000 tickets at Wembley,” Loeffler said. “That’s a testament to his marketability.”
So perhaps if Chavez won’t step into the ring with Golovkin, Froch will step up to the plate and take the fight. It would be an interesting one because Froch is a proven veteran, but Golovkin is a fierce untamable animal. The big question would be: how will “GGG’s” power translate at a higher weight class?
Then there is Sam Soliman, a decent fighter who has managed to grab a title strap at this advanced stage of his career, but one who is likely no match for a fighter of Golovkin’s caliber. Yet, this fight might be the most realistic one to make, if all the other names out there wont step into the ring with the 32-year-old knockout artist.
“Gennady wants to prove that he is the best middle weight champion,” Loeffler said. “The only way to do that is to fight other middleweight champions. So we would go out and try to make a Sam Soliman fight if possible.”
If Golovkin can’t snag a fight with any of the bigger names, then it looks as life Soliman might get the call. Loeffler said that Genndy’s next fight will be in October or November and one thing is for sure, whoever Golovkin fights next, we’ll be tuned in to see it.
