While wishing his fans across the globe a “Merry Christmas”, WBA/IBO and WBC ‘Interim’ Middleweight World Champion GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN spent the holiday training for his upcoming world title defense against two-time world title challenger MARTIN MURRAY, the WBC’s #1 ranked middleweight set for Saturday, February 21 at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte-Carlo.Golovkin is training at The Summit High Altitude Training Center in Big Bear Lake, California under longtime trainer ABEL SANCHEZ. The duo has worked together at the Southern California camp since June 2010.
“It feels great to be back in camp,” said Golovkin. “We’re working hard with my Coach Abel Sanchez to put on another exciting show in Monte-Carlo against Martin Murray.”
“Gennady was looking forward to starting his training,” said TOM LOEFFLER of K2 Promotions. “This is an excellent matchup between the best middleweight and the #1 rated challenger and Gennady will be well prepared to defend his titles against Murray on February 21.”
Prior to the start of training camp, Golovkin traveled the globe for press conferences in front of huge crowds of media in Monte Carlo, Astana, London and Mexico City. He also attended the WBC Convention in Las Vegas.
“Gennady is one of the most internationally marketable fighters in the world. At every stop the attention we received was overwhelming from the media and fans,” continued Loeffler.
Boxing’s Fastest Rising Superstar, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, 31-0-0 with 28 KO’s, scored his 18th straight stoppage and 12th defense of his WBA title on Saturday, October 18th with a devastating second round knockout of WBC “Interim” Middleweight Champion, Marco Antonio Rubio in front of a standing room crowd of 9,323 at the StubHub! Center in Carson, California, USA. The attendance was record setting, far surpassing any other previous boxing events held at the acclaimed West Coast venue including those featuring Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Andre Ward.
A native of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, now residing in Stuttgart, Germany, Golovkin has fought twice previously in Monte Carlo. In March 2012, Golovkin knocked out former world champion Nobuhiro Ishida in the third stanza, which earned him numerous “Knockout of the Year” awards from the international boxing media and scored a sixth round stoppage of former world title challenger Osumanu Adama in February 2013, also taking place at the Salle des Etoiles.
On October 25, Martin Murray stopped Dominic Spada in the fifth round also at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo. Golovkin was ringside for the Murray/Spada bout and came away impressed by his performance. With the victory, Murray of Merseyside, United Kingdom improved his record to 29-1-1 (13KO’s).
In April 2012, Murray traveled to Buenos Aries, Argentina and battled hometown world champion Sergio Martinez. Despite dropping Martinez in the eighth round, he lost a controversial decision in a bout many in the media and ringside observers believe he was victorious in.
Three fights earlier, Murray headed to Mannheim, Germany in December 2011 to challenge also hometown champion Felix Sturm. Outlanding Sturm throughout the fight with blistering power punches, most ringside observers and media members also thought he won this fight despite settling for a highly controversial split decision draw.
