Gennady Golovkin: The Gift and The Curse

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Unbeaten middleweight titlist Gennady Golovkin, the “People’s Champion”, is in full force training for what he calls his toughest challenge to date and rightfully. On paper Ireland’s top-rated former world title challenger, Matthew “Mack The Knife” Macklin (29-4, 20KO’s) probably is depending on who you speak to. What’s certain is this will be one of the year’s most brutal fights without a doubt.

In one corner you have the Devastating punching “GGG” that’s captivated fans and networks by storm forcing his brilliance from our premium channels and  a true fight fans delight by staying active even if not on the big networks. Golovkin is coming off a third round annihilation of Nobuhiro Ishida.

This past Saturday, HBO aired their series, ‘2 Days: Gennady Golovkin’ which brought his fans closer to the Republic of Kazakhstan champion. What we witnessed was a warrior’s mentality to overcome adversity. We were blessed to go behind the scenes with HBO cameras and see the struggles of Golovkin battling a common cold something not that serious to you or I, but factor in the mere thought of being on the biggest stage on one of the most prominent networks. As well as the breathing issues that occurs to the average human being on their day to day life. Now multiple that feeling by 10 because that’s how important breathing in a fight of the caliber as the one that took place, January 19th Madison Square Garden.

Golovkin showed no signs before the fight that he had any intentions of pulling out of his fight. The thought of a fighter with the pure heart and determination willing to put everything on the line to better his career and for the entertainment of the fight fans definitely makes him the “People’s Champion”. Plus the fact that he destroys anything he touches makes this “GGG” more into a boxing super hero.

It’s this very same demeanor that Golovkin shows can be a gift and a curse. With Sergio Martinez being out for the rest of the year and Peter Quillin being signed by Al Haymon and promoted by Golden Boy as well being a Showtime fighter, the options for Golovkin are slim assuming he gets past Macklin that is. Geale and Barker are set to meet in a respective match up, leaving Gennady Golovkin the only option of moving up in weight. This is something that drives me crazy to see a fighter in his prime forced to have to fight outside of his weight just to make opportunity for himself. In a perfect world, Martinez wouldn’t be hurt and willing to decide if he still is the middle weight king or if the game for the throne would crown is a new king. For Golovkin as I stated his gift is his curse.