Gennady Golovkin Focused on Murray, Still Hopes for Cotto or Chavez

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gennady golovkin vs matthew macklinIt has been widely reported that WBA “super” middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin wants another busy year of fighting. His goal is four fights this year.

The business world of boxing has prevented him from fighting WBC and “lineal” middleweight champ Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico. Although Golovkin (31-0, 28 KO) wants to unify titles, Cotto (39-4, 32 KO) was reportedly in negotiations with Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez. That fell through, and now GGG is scheduled to face U.K.’s Martin Murray (29-1-1, 12 KO), and Cotto is still looking for an opponent.

Golovkin’s fight with the once-beaten Murray will be held in Monte Carlo, Monaco on Feb. 21st. Murray’s resume includes a twelve round decision lost to then WBC and Ring Magazine middleweight champ Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Many thought the fight was close and that the decision could have gone in Murray’s favor.

“Martin Murray he’s a good fighter, he’s big guy, strong guy, I saw a lot of fights (of his),” Golovkin said in an ESPN interview. “I think he will be one of my biggest challenges of my career, you know. I think (it’s a) good fight for us.”

Murray, who stands at 6-feet-tall, will have a 2½-inch height advantage over the Kazakhstan native who resides in Germany. Among his height, Murray also has a longer reach, 73 inches to Golovkin’s 70-inch-reach.

Golovkin’s last fight was against veteran Marco Antonio Rubio (59-7-1, 51 KO) at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. It was in many ways a homecoming fight for GGG, who has embraced what he calls the “Mexican-style” of fighting. Golovkin_Rosado_130119_001a-1The StubHub center is located just south of Los Angeles and was packed with a Hispanic following wearing t-shirts and hats that read “Mexican-style”.

Although Rubio is a native of Mexico, the crowd at Carson clamored for Golovkin, who donned Dodger-blue trunks with “L.A.” stitched on the left side. Golovkin’s power was evident from the first round as he rocked Rubio at will. Golovkin’s power isn’t just bone breaking, it’s will-breaking and when he connected a left hook to Rubio’s head, the challenger was unable to beat the count of ten.

Recently Golovkin visited Mexico and received another gracious welcome.

“Its great atmosphere yeah. First thank you very much for my coach Abel Sanchez, his parents from Mexico he opened my eyes for Mexico. Mexican style you know just for boxing and for people,” Golovkin continued, “I have a lot of friends from Mexico. You know, Just great atmosphere biggest city for me and it’s good I had good time in Mexico, I like food I like people, I like style.”

Cotto isn’t the only boxer on GGG’s radar; he also expressed interest in fighting Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KO). Chavez Jr. hasn’t fought at the middleweight limit since his 2012 fight with “Maravilla” Martinez.

“Oh, I think Miguel first because he’s WBC champion. And of course I like Chavez junior, he’s biggest family you know, biggest name, I think great fight,” said Golovkin.

A fight between Golovkin and Chavez Jr. could very well be a fight for Mexico’s favorite fighter if Golovkin’s popularity with the Hispanic community continues to rise. Golovkin is a fan’s fighter who desperately wants to fight the best and biggest names in the sport, but will the powers that be ever let that happen?