Gennady Golovkin the best middleweight in the world?

By boxing1 - 02/10/2013 - Comments

golovkin5By John Kelvin: WBA World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has received a lot of hype and attention over the last 6 months based on his victories over Grzegorz Proksa and Gabriel Rosado. With these wins he has been called the best middleweight in the world by many people and has also been labeled the most avoided man in the sport.

Golovkin is a strong fighter with good power but he has done nothing to deserve being called the world’s best middleweight. He has defeated no name opponents or faced any credible contenders. He has been a champion for 2 years but has yet to face fellow champions Peter Quilllin, Daniel Geale, Dmitry Pirog and Sergio Martinez or even contenders like Andy Lee, Martin Murray, Darren Barker and Matthew Macklin.

In his last fight, Golovkin faced Gabriel Rosado who was a light middleweight for most of his career and showed in the fight that he did not belong at 160lbs. In his next defense, Golovkin is scheduled to face Nobuhiro Ishida, a fighter with 9 knockouts and 8 loses on his record. Why not fight former champion Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam who came off the canvas six times against Peter Quillin?

N’Jikam is known to American audiences after his brave fight against Quillin and would provide Golovkin with a chance to prove himself against a proper championship level fighter. Golovkin has to step up his level of opposition if he wants to further enhance his reputation and earn a big fight with true middleweight champion Sergio Martinez or even Julio Cesar Chavez junior.

Although Golovkin has good power and strength, he lacks good head movement, evasiveness and overall boxing skills. If he wants to have longevity and be regarded as the best middleweight in the world he has to improve these aspects of his boxing or he will be badly exposed if steps up against Sergio Martinez or even Andre Ward if he decides to move to 168lbs.

Golovkin is a good fighter who has to improve the mentioned aspects of his craft and level of opposition if he wants to justify the current hype surrounding him and to be considered a great fighter.



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