WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KOs), from Los Angeles by way of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, has been criticized over the weak opposition he has faced over the years. The criticism has been intense, so much so that the Kazakh superstar has admitted to extending fights to give a longer “big drama show” to the fans before brutally knocking his challengers out. That somewhat distressing trend looks to end Saturday night in front of a sold out Madison Square Garden.
The man who will step in the ring with Golovkin is IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KOs) who hails from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Lemieux has explosive power and excellent hand speed that is best displayed by his fierce brawling fighting style. He won his title in dominant fashion with an impressive win on June 20th over Hassan N’Dam in front of his hometown fans at the Bell Centre.
Golovkin first captured the interim WBA World title in 2010 with a victory in Panama over Milton Nuñez and was elevated to full champion three months later. After 11 successful defenses he was elevated to “Super Champion” prior to his knockout victory over Daniel Geale. Golovkin will look to add the IBF belt to his collection of IBO and WBA Super belts, but his ultimate goal is to unify all the titles in the division for the first time since 2004 when Bernard Hopkins achieved that feat against Oscar De La Hoya.
Lemieux is not only the most offensively gifted of Golovkin’s opponents to date, but he has built a team around him that will certainly give him an extra edge going into Saturday’s HBO PPV bout. That includes Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins of Golden Boy Promotions, who alongside trainer Marc Ramsey have been helping the Canadian prep for the biggest fight of his career.
David Lemieux is the underdog going into this bout, a role he relishes, even going so far as to dub it “David and Goliath” on HBO Face-Off with Max Kellerman.
Golovkin is currently riding an extraordinary 20-fight knockout streak and with a KO rate of 91% it ranks him as the best in middleweight boxing history. Golovkin, though, is very much aware that in this fight he won’t have the luxury of giving away rounds. His trainer Abel Sanchez explains.
“This preparation has been different,” says Sanchez. “Finally, he has gotten someone who he considers as a threat. Someone that he feels will give him a fight for as long as it lasts.”
Come Saturday night one thing is for certain. This fight will not go the distance.
“This is going to be like a street fight,” Golovkin said to Kellerman. “He has a good style—almost like an amateur style. I will beat any style—amateur style or brawl style. He will be a good test for me.
“It is very interesting for me because right now he (Lemieux) is a star. With power alone, he could go maybe three or four rounds with me. If he boxes he could go 12 rounds. Every second is very important—every round—every step.”
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
