Saul Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto are less than thirteen rounds of work for Gennady “GGG” Golovkin. According to his trainer Abel Sanchez, who claims Golovkin would starch them both before eight rounds.
“Those two guys don’t make it past the eighth; Cotto doesn’t make it past the fifth,” Sanchez proclaimed.
In an interview with ThaBoxingVoice that took place on Golovkin’s final day of training camp, Sanchez said he was hoping Golovkin would get some “work” in against Martin Murray, who Golovkin beat in his most recent fight on Feb. 21st. Sanchez then admitted that he wasn’t sure Murray would last the later rounds against “GGG”, who Sanchez believes has become a complete fighter.
“I would like to see him go some rounds so we can see what we have, see if Gennady can perform in the eight or ninth round like he did in the second round,” Sanchez said. “Golovkin’s evolved into a complete fighter and by saying that, that means that he is going to pick Martin apart.”
Murray, who couldn’t go the distance but outlasted all other Golovkin victims, proved that Golovkin can indeed carry his power into the later part of a fight. Ordinarily, a fighter’s power fades the longer a fight draws out. However, Golovkin was able to put Murray down at the end of the tenth and stopped him in the eleventh.
Boxing wisdom suggests that a fighter who hasn’t gone the distance can be at a disadvantage against a fighter who has experience in those championship rounds past the tenth. Golovkin seems to be testing himself before he’s scheduled to face a higher caliber opponent to ensure that he gains all the experience a long reigning champ needs.
“It’s good for him to know, mentally, that it wouldn’t be a problem to do a twelve,” Sanchez said. “Even though all trainers of high profile fighters like this train for twelve rounds, until you actually do it in a fight, it’s a totally different story.”
Sanchez predicted that Murray would falter under Golovkin’s relentless attack and was right. Now the veteran trainer is predicting exciting wins over two of boxing’s major draws. If Golovkin gets those fights and performs as Sanchez predicts, Golovkin would be a prime candidate for the mantle of “boxing’s biggest draw”.
Mayweather and Pacquiao are nearing the end of their careers, and their long awaited showdown has finally come to fruition. The time is now for potential stars like Golovkin to burst out of the shadows of the two men who have dominated the talks of boxing circles for years.
