No Pain, No Gain for Golovkin against Carl Froch

By Robbie Bannatyne - 05/22/2015 - Comments

Image: No Pain, No Gain for Golovkin against Carl FrochBy Robbie Bannatyne: “If I fight Golovkin, I will back him up, take what he’s got and beat him up.”

It takes a brave man to talk about Gennady Golovkin in such bold tones. But Carl Froch is among the bravest men in boxing. But still, will he give Golovkin his golden ticket to greatness? Fight fans have been daring to dream ever since Froch’s bold predictions made it to print this week.

It remains to be seen if Carl Froch will attempt to make his rhetoric a reality. However, if he does walk the walk, will he get to the end of the road or will he be stopped in his tracks by the all-consuming Golovkin express? No-one can really say with any certainty. What can be guaranteed is that it would be a great fight while it lasted.

A boxer with the sort of power which almost makes a knockout a statistical inevitability, against a true fighter, whose chin suggests keeping him on the canvas would be an impossibility. Carl Froch’s ability to cope with murderous punishment would be evenly balanced by Golovkin’s capacity to inflict torturous pain. A truly fascinating prospect.

Yet aside from the physical trauma Golovkin inflicts on his opponents, it is the mental torment which really kills them. He breaks the heart and spirit of his opponents more than their bones. Some of his foes are beaten before the first bell rings. But if it wasn’t for heart and spirit Carl Froch would be fighting in local shopping centres not national stadiums. He is not scared of Golovkin. Which begs the question; what will happen when the hunter becomes the hunted? How will Golovkin react when he is faced with an opponent who is not merely satisfied with trying to survive? Someone who is able to take it and more than willing to give it back.

We’ve watched as Golovkin takes all the middleweights’ dinner money, it would be interesting to see Carl Froch confront the school bully to see whether he can buy what he sells.

Froch cannot fight on the back foot. He finds his success coming forward, stalking his prey much in the same way as Golovkin. Something’s got to give. Golovkin’s capacity for cutting off the ring and cornering his prey is his recipe for success at 160lb. Yet this ingredient of his game could spell disaster against Froch who never waits for an invitation to go to war.

Let’s face it, Carl Froch does not like having to look too far to find his opponent, so if anything, Golovkin’s belligerence will be gratefully received by ‘The Cobra’.

Yet if Froch’s natural habitat is trading leather in the center of the ring, then maybe Golovkin would look to take him out of his comfort zone by assuming the role of the counter puncher- capitalizing on Froch’s mistakes with concussive blows.

It seems counterintuitive to even suggest that Golovkin changes his style while he rides a stunning 20 fight knockout streak. But sometimes what got you here won’t get you there. He may have to adapt against Froch who carries a lot of power himself and simply won’t accept being so violently assaulted like the rest of Golovkin’s victims.

Until now, Golovkin has proved beyond doubt that he is a very, very good boxer. If given the chance, will he prove he is a great fighter against Carl Froch?

Not if Froch is able to ‘back him up, take what he’s got and beat him up’.

Whether shrouded in glory or showered in misery, there will be costs to bear in a battle with Froch for the Kazakh KO machine.

But as they say, ‘no pain, no gain’.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to reading your comments.
Fight Fans: How do you feel Golovkin vs Froch would pan out?

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